James Marape

He gave assurance that despite COVID-19, we will rise together as a nation.

“Let me speak to the youths of our country, many of you are not at schools and are looking for meaningful pursuits of life. We have you covered,” said PM Marape.

“During the next two months, I want to know all the youths of our country, wherever you are, especially those who are not in our schools or formally employed.

Marape informed of the need to be strategic and targeted when rolling out Government contingents and preventive measures on COVID-19 in his statement at the Special Parliament on Thursday, April 2^nd, 2020.

He says all agencies must comply and align their plans with the orders aimed at managing and containing any likelihood of this virus spreading.

Prime Minister James Marape said the security and medical measures are being deployed to ensure the land border shared with Indonesia prevent traditional and illegal crossing.

The deployments are in line with the extended State of Emergency for two months in response to the growing number of COVID019 cases around the world.

Prime Minister Marape, said following the special Parliament sitting to extend the SOE, they have gone full steam into beefing up security and medical monitoring at the PNG Indonesian border.

These include three medical cases, in which two are deceased.

The National Government instituated State of Emergency saw a suspension of international flights folllwing the first and only positive case of COVID-19, leaving Papua New Guineans abroad stranded.

Prime Minister, James Marape, said efforts are being made to bring them back.

“We are working on a special uplift flight for these Papua new Guineans, including three who have travelled on medical ground. In fact, two are deceased, and one Papua New Guinean lady who needs to come back.

The Defence Force Personnel will be deployed over the weekend increasing the current manpower on the ground.

Police Minister Bryan Kramer announced this today in an update on the Governments COVID-219 Response.

He said the Government is now planning on making more investments into tghe health sector post-COVID-19.

“I’m announcing to the country, I’m looking at life beyond coronavirus.

“The coronavirus has given us an opportunity to make good interventions in our health sector, something that we have taken for granted and we have left it to erode over a long period of time,” said the Prime Minister.

He added “I remember when SARS was a global pandemic, we never had proactiveness to respond in ensuring that our health system is prepared with this matter.

Focus will be on health, the economy and education for the balance of 2020.

He said to make sure there is no local transmissions in the country, the Government had instituted a State of Emergency (SoE) for 14 days, the incubation period of COVID-19, to monitor any reports of possible COVID-19 infections.

“The Government will reprioritize expenditures and cutaway activities that can be deferred or terminated and focus on health, economy and education for the balance of 2020.”

In a press conference today at the Morauta Haus, Prime Minister Marape said the Police Commissioner will take charge assisted by the PNG Defence Force.

Starting on Tuesday, the 24^th of March, all domestic flights will be stopped for the next 14 days, including the movement of PMVs from one province to the next.

Only approved cargo and medicine, and police and military personnel will be moving. Additionally, the seven day ban on international flights started today.

He has urged citizens to forget their differences and work together to keep the country safe.

“Whether it’s a church difference or political difference or tribal difference or business difference, we live in one country, one border,” stated the PM.

“The protection of our border is very important and that’s what we’re all about; to ensure that our country is safe from coronavirus.”