4 More new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in PNG : Manning Warns Public to observe control measures

Former PNG prime minister and leader of PNC party Peter O'Neill has accused Prime Minister James Marape for breaking own COVID-19 Laws and potentially exposing Coronavirus to vulnerable Highlands communities. “It is beyond belief that with people dying and Coronavirus spreads, James Marape has taken take time off to travel province to province for politicking, when he is supposed to be in isolation awaiting test results after being exposed to infected workers in his office.

PM Marape campaigning for his party candidate despite COVID-19 laws 

“The rules that Marape laid out under the new State of Emergency are for everyone including himself, but he has defied these laws and in doing so potentially infecting people from Goroka to Lae while he and his sidekick were taking a leisurely drive around the country.

“No one in their right mind can understand such behaviour at this time of crisis, and Marape is on notice that he has to wake up and at least try to lead or resign.

“Police must now take action and Marape himself charged with the violation of State of Emergency laws, and be returned to Port Moresby immediately to be placed in isolation while awaiting test results.

“He set up all of these COVID protocols, lockdown measures and personal safety laws.

“Then he is the first one to break the law by aimlessly traveling around from province to province and politicking while the Nation is crisis and desperately needs leadership.

“Marape said no one should be moving out of the Coronavirus Hotspot of Port Moresby and risk spreading the virus to other provinces.

“He made this very clear in his public announcement, and then two days later, after close personal contacts in his office have been put into isolation because it is believed they have the virus, he gets on a plane and travels to Eastern highlands Province.

“Then he breaks more of the rules and he takes off his face mask, mixes in a crowd of more than the fifteen people maximum that he declared is the new legal limit for public gatherings, and carries on fist bumping people he comes into contact with.

“This is the most reckless behaviour that has now potentially exposed hundreds of people in Goroka to Coronavirus, particularly considering that as a close contact of people in isolation, he too should be in isolation.

“Now, as Marape drives around through provinces on his attention-seeking road trip, hundreds of vulnerable communities may have been exposed to the virus direct from the Coronavirus hotspot of Port Moresby.

“The actions of Marape make it almost impossible for people around the country to take the new State of Emergency and its laws seriously.”

Statement

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4 More new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in PNG : Manning Warns Public to observe control measures