𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐌𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 & 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐔𝐀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒
𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃-𝟏𝟗 𝐌𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 & 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐔𝐀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒
Statement for PNC Leader Peter O'Neill : 7 April 2020
With the first Papua New Guinean being declared to be infected with the Coronavirus, now is the most critical time in Papua New Guinea’s response to the spread of the disease.
More than any other time in our history, we need clear and decisive action from the national government, not just talk and further consultation on what is proposed. That time has passed and the senior current leadership have to step up and be honest with the people of Papua New Guinea, not hide behind bureaucrats to have as scapegoats to blame if things go bad.
There are many unanswered questions that must be communicated to our people, to the governors of our provinces and the elected members in our districts, and all senior administration personnel around the country.
Clear and credible communication is essential if our people are to have trust in the government, and to work together to prevent massive loss of life in Papua New Guinea like we have seen around the world.
Clear decisions are required for the well-being of our country and the survival of our people, and in particularly there are four decisions that the government must address today:
𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲,the government must release this so-called Coronavirus map of the country that was promised would be released last Friday. This was the stated reason for calling a State of Emergency earlier rather than later. The government must be honest and tell the country if there is a Coronavirus map of PNG, and if they have identified other potential cases of Coronavirus in the country and where these are located.
𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲, detailed information on the state of testing facilities in the country must be released. This must state clearly if the testing facility is now operational in Port Moresby, and provide information on how many tests can be run each day around the country. We must know how many tests have already been run on the samples from Persons of Interest, and how many returned a positive result.
When the 40-year-old infected patient was announced yesterday, it was claimed that she had been under surveillance as a Person of Interest since March 23, and that she went to the hospital with Coronavirus symptoms over a week ago. Why did it take two weeks to have this patient tested?
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐲, the government must reveal the truth on the medical care and isolation facilities it claims to have prepared in Port Moresby and other centres. We are hearing very disturbing news from people in the healthcare system that these facilities are not yet operational, and do not have sufficient medical staff or personal protective equipment for workers.
If it is that the government has not prepared these facilities, now is the time to be honest and we can all work together on alternative arrangements.
I suggest that the government immediately engage with the managers of the Ela Beach Hotel and the Holiday Inn Express to reopen these facilities for use in the crisis response. Hotels have been used in many countries for isolation and treatment during the Coronavirus outbreak, as rooms can be properly isolated, they have full toilet and wash facilities, industrial kitchens for meals preparation and ballrooms as administration centres.
Millions of Kina are being spent to build a temporary and inadequate facilities at sports stadiums where there are not proper isolation rooms, there are no adequate wash and toilet facilities, and most food is being provided through catering contracts with suppliers potentially linked to public officials and politicians.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, the government must allow the return of citizens and residents who have the legal right to live in Papua New Guinea. These people who are now stranded overseas, a long way from home and family. They are important members of communities around the country, and are also important contributors to the ongoing health of our economy.
The government claims to have isolation facilities, and these can be used to ensure passengers are not carrying Coronavirus, or alternatively, travelers should be able to obtain certification from a doctor in their host country if they have properly isolated for 14 days and also returned negative test prior to their return to Papua New Guinea.
Clear and credible information for the public in this time of uncertainty is essential. The world is effectively at war with this virus, and the difference between this and other wars is that every citizen of the world is in this together.
There is no need for the same secrecy and the hiding of information as in other wars, the virus cannot read so the release of sensitive information does not pose a threat to the success of the operation.
We can and we must share all available relevant information to the public. Everyone in our country is in this fight together, be these us Members of Parliament, senior public officials, business leaders and every man, woman and child in our country.
I hope government can take this statement and request for information in the way that it is meant, as an opportunity to provide clarity and certainty to our people in this time of heightened concern.
Hon. Peter O’Neill, CMB MP
Leader of the People’s National Congress Party
Member for Ialibu-Pangia
Next :
Statement for PNC Leader Peter O'Neill : 7 April 2020
With the first Papua New Guinean being declared to be infected with the Coronavirus, now is the most critical time in Papua New Guinea’s response to the spread of the disease.
More than any other time in our history, we need clear and decisive action from the national government, not just talk and further consultation on what is proposed. That time has passed and the senior current leadership have to step up and be honest with the people of Papua New Guinea, not hide behind bureaucrats to have as scapegoats to blame if things go bad.There are many unanswered questions that must be communicated to our people, to the governors of our provinces and the elected members in our districts, and all senior administration personnel around the country.
Clear and credible communication is essential if our people are to have trust in the government, and to work together to prevent massive loss of life in Papua New Guinea like we have seen around the world.
Clear decisions are required for the well-being of our country and the survival of our people, and in particularly there are four decisions that the government must address today:
𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲,the government must release this so-called Coronavirus map of the country that was promised would be released last Friday. This was the stated reason for calling a State of Emergency earlier rather than later. The government must be honest and tell the country if there is a Coronavirus map of PNG, and if they have identified other potential cases of Coronavirus in the country and where these are located.
𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲, detailed information on the state of testing facilities in the country must be released. This must state clearly if the testing facility is now operational in Port Moresby, and provide information on how many tests can be run each day around the country. We must know how many tests have already been run on the samples from Persons of Interest, and how many returned a positive result.
When the 40-year-old infected patient was announced yesterday, it was claimed that she had been under surveillance as a Person of Interest since March 23, and that she went to the hospital with Coronavirus symptoms over a week ago. Why did it take two weeks to have this patient tested?
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐲, the government must reveal the truth on the medical care and isolation facilities it claims to have prepared in Port Moresby and other centres. We are hearing very disturbing news from people in the healthcare system that these facilities are not yet operational, and do not have sufficient medical staff or personal protective equipment for workers.
If it is that the government has not prepared these facilities, now is the time to be honest and we can all work together on alternative arrangements.
I suggest that the government immediately engage with the managers of the Ela Beach Hotel and the Holiday Inn Express to reopen these facilities for use in the crisis response. Hotels have been used in many countries for isolation and treatment during the Coronavirus outbreak, as rooms can be properly isolated, they have full toilet and wash facilities, industrial kitchens for meals preparation and ballrooms as administration centres.
Millions of Kina are being spent to build a temporary and inadequate facilities at sports stadiums where there are not proper isolation rooms, there are no adequate wash and toilet facilities, and most food is being provided through catering contracts with suppliers potentially linked to public officials and politicians.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, the government must allow the return of citizens and residents who have the legal right to live in Papua New Guinea. These people who are now stranded overseas, a long way from home and family. They are important members of communities around the country, and are also important contributors to the ongoing health of our economy.
The government claims to have isolation facilities, and these can be used to ensure passengers are not carrying Coronavirus, or alternatively, travelers should be able to obtain certification from a doctor in their host country if they have properly isolated for 14 days and also returned negative test prior to their return to Papua New Guinea.
Clear and credible information for the public in this time of uncertainty is essential. The world is effectively at war with this virus, and the difference between this and other wars is that every citizen of the world is in this together.
There is no need for the same secrecy and the hiding of information as in other wars, the virus cannot read so the release of sensitive information does not pose a threat to the success of the operation.
We can and we must share all available relevant information to the public. Everyone in our country is in this fight together, be these us Members of Parliament, senior public officials, business leaders and every man, woman and child in our country.
I hope government can take this statement and request for information in the way that it is meant, as an opportunity to provide clarity and certainty to our people in this time of heightened concern.
Hon. Peter O’Neill, CMB MP
Leader of the People’s National Congress Party
Member for Ialibu-Pangia
Next :
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