The State of Emergency uplifting of specific travel restrictions means PNG citizens who have been stranded abroad will be able to return home.
While government is progressing with re-opening entry points for air, land and sea, there are serious concerns from the border province of West Sepik.
Community Leader, Elluida Amo said, “Preparedness plans for citizens returning to the country via the PNG/Indonesian border at Wutung are in-efficient.”
“Our understanding was that the proposed facility was prepared for POI’s from Wutung village itself and only recently we became aware of the government’s intention to house the repatriated PNG citizens here. We hear that total may be close to one hundred.” He said.
“The high number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia means such a large group coming from there will put the entire village at risk. The facility has no running water and electricity so hygiene will be an issue. Food security will be affected if anyone tests positive because the entire village becomes a quarantine zone and locals will be restricted from moving around including to town for food supplies or to their gardens, many of which extend across the border on traditional land. We are concerned the release of the prisoners is an additional security threat to the community.” Amo said.
Wutung locals want government to co-ordinate all quarantine and testing in Port Moresby as West Sepik Province is ill equipped to facilitate the return of these citizens.
Meanwhile, sources from the West Sepik Governor’s office tells LoopPNG that returning citizens will be quarantined at the border facility at Wutung, extra security personnel are on the ground and provincial authorities have sufficient testing kits for the Coronavirus.