State of emergency

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.

They made this announcement in a press conference yesterday afternoon.

The K5.5 million will be used by the Western SOE team to run Covid-19 awareness, support border surveillance by the joint police and military forces, establish quarantine and isolation facilities at the Kiunga and Daru hospitals and to maintain law and order issues in the province in the midst of the state of emergency.

With a landmass of 98 thousand square meters, the first strategy the Western province SOE team is doing is to make people aware.

He said people in the province need to begin growing their own food and raise livestock for self-sustenance as well as to potentially supply Port Moresby or other centers.

Agarobe made the call in an update on COVID-19 measures undertaken by the Provincial Government.

Governor Agarobe said the current State of Emergency has shown how a crisis lockdown can affect food supply chains to and from the Province.

He said with the current wet weather, locals need to toil the land in anticipation of a shortage of food stocks both processed and local produce.

Central Governor, Robert Agarobe, said color coded passes will be issued by the Provincial Police Commander with his signature.

Governor Agarobe said under the current lockdown only trade store owners with licenses and permits to operate will be issued passes to travel into Port Moresby and back.

“Passes to be issued by Provincial Police Commanders with colour coding which is orange, and the PPC’s original signature. Without the PPC’s signature, you cannot travel.

The betel-nut bags were intercepted by police on Sunday, March 29^th, when being smuggled into Port Moresby by three boats.

There is currently a ban on the sale and chewing of betel-nut under the current State of Emergency.

Following a tip off, Water Police intercepted three boats smuggling betel-nut into Port Moresby, late on Sunday afternoon.

The confiscation is part of the implementation of the State of Emergency in which the sale and chewing of betel-nut has been banned in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

SOE regulations

Under the Regulations, the Emergency Controller has the powers to, amongst others;

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.

The cyclone which formed in Tuvaluan waters got as strong as a category three system - also affecting Fiji and Tonga.

The director of Tuvalu's disaster management office, Sumeo Silu, said based on initial reports about half of the country's population had been severely affected by the cyclone.

Food security was a major concern given ocean waves, whipped up by the storm, inundated gardens and strong winds uprooted trees and damaged banana and breadfruit trees, he said.

Storm Barry has been gathering speed over the Gulf of Mexico in recent days.

Officials say sustained wind speeds have grown to 50mph (80km/h) and may still reach hurricane strength by the time it makes landfall.

It is expected to bring a storm surge and heavy rainfall to the city of New Orleans - which has already seen thunderstorms and flash floods.

The National Weather Service warns that flooding from the slow-moving storm poses the greatest risk.

He also said he would make an initial €5m ($5.7m) available from central funds to the north-western region.

The regional government had requested the action following Tuesday's disaster, which left 39 people dead.

There has been anger and disbelief in Italy that such a vital structure could have simply given way.

Rescuers have said there is little hope of finding more survivors underneath the Morandi bridge, where dozens of vehicles fell from a height of 45m (148ft) in Tuesday morning's collapse.