NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

290420- STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE SOE ORDERS TO PROTECT BOUGAINVILLE PEOPLE.

NEW DAWN FM NEWS

THE strict enforcement of the SOE orders in Bougainville is to protect the 300,000 plus population of Bougainville says ABG Health Secretary Clement Totavun.

The Health Secretary made the clarification today stating that the SOE Controller, the Ministerial Taskforce and he have been getting a lot of criticism from the public for the strict enforcement of the SOE orders.

Mr Totavun clarifies that the only reason why they are so strict with the enforcement of the orders is to protect the people and to ensure COVI-19 does not enter Bougainville.

He said the number of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe is still increasing close to 3 million cases and almost 200 thousand deaths.

Mr Tovatun said the WHO risk assessment classification states that the global risk level is very high which means Bougainville being part of the global community is also at high risk of the COVID-19.

He said the people need to understand that the leaders in charge of the SOE in Bougainville are doing all they can to protect the health of the people.

Ends//////////

290420- AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS COVID-19 OPERATIONS IN BOUGAINVILLE.
NEW DAWN FM NEWS

THE Australian Government has given the ABG Department of Health four vehicles today and K1 million funding last week Friday to support the COVID-19 operations in the region.

The four vehicles received by the ABG Department of Health were given upon a specific request to the Australian Government for support by the Minister for Health Hon Dennis Lokonai when the COVID-19 was declared.

ABG Health Secretary Clement Totavun thanked the Australian Government for the support and said this support will go a long way to deliver awareness activities, response activities and to support the regional teams to deliver the response preparedness plan in the region.

Mr Totavun said the support given to the Department of Health was timely and it will go towards supporting the COVID-19 operations and most importantly serving the people of Bougainville who are faced with the risk of COVID-19.

Ends////////

290420- AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS COVID-19 OPERATIONS IN BOUGAINVILLE.
NEW DAWN FM NEWS

THE Australian Government has given the ABG Department of Health four vehicles today and K1 million funding last week Friday to support the COVID-19 operations in the region.

The four vehicles received by the ABG Department of Health was given upon a specific request to the Australian Government for support by the Minister for Health Hon Dennis Lokonai when the COVID-19 was declared.

ABG Health Secretary Clement Totavun during the significant event held today thanked the Australian Government for the support given based on the current situation and the time of need during the COVID-19 crisis.

Mr Totavun said the support given to the Department of Health was timely and it will go towards supporting the COVID-19 operations in the region and most importantly serving the people who are faced with the risk of COVID-19.

Ends////////

290420 MINISTER THANKS DONORS FOR SUPPORT
NEW DAWN FM NEWS

The ABG Member for BOLAVE and Minister for Health, DENNIS LOKONAI today thanked donor partners Australia and New Zealand for their continued support to Bougainville over the past years and until today.
He made these comments when accepting four vehicles that were donated to the Health Department to combat the Corona Virus problem in the region by DFAT in Hutjena today.
Minister LOKONAI said that at the start of the virus outbreak he had wrote to DFAT for support and the Australian and New Zealand governments have responded well to his request.
He mentioned ONE MILLION KINA that has been deposited to the Health Department account to support the awareness program and another Five Hundred Thousand that has been committed to upgrade the Suhin isolation facility in the Hagogohe constituency.
The Minister also mentioned other support that the two governments are doing to support Bougainville in its efforts to make sure the virus does not reach Bougainville.
He said that Bougainville does not have the facilities to combat the pandemic if it reaches our shores therefore we want to strengthen our efforts to prevent it from reaching Bougainville.
The four vehicles would be distributed as two to remain in Buka and one each to Central and South Health programs.

Ends

280420- EMERGENCY ORDER VIOLATIONS INCREASED
NEW DAWN FM NEWS
THE SOE Controller and Deputy Commissioner Police, FRANCIS TOKURA has announced that, there has been an increase in the breaches of the Emergency Orders recorded across North, Central and South Bougainville.
He said In North Bougainville, there were a total of 18 breaches recorded in the past five days, and Central Bougainville had 4 breaches while South Bougainville had only 1 breach.
MR. Tokura said most of these breaches were related to Emergency Order No.19 which is the overloading of PMVs.
He makes mention also that there has been an increase in normal law and order offences across the region in the past five days which indicates an increase in crime.
Mr Tokura appeals to the public to work closely with local community authorities and the police to maintain safety and law and order during the emergency period.
A public appeal also goes to all vehicle owners and drivers to comply with the restrictions on the number of passengers they are allowed to carry.
Ends…

280420-SCHOOLS IN BOUGAINVILLE TO OBSERVE SAFETY MEASURES
NEW DAWN FM NEWS
In a media statement released from the COVID-19 operations Command Centre, schools in Bougainville will open under strict restrictions following safety measures.
It stated that Under Education, the team presented options for elementary, primary, secondary schools based on strict and full compliance of certain health and safety measures.
Restrictions as in limiting the movement of teachers, students and public during school hours, restriction on selling cooked food items at school, and having access to hand-washing facilities in all classroom and other specialized buildings.
Upon a decision made on the options provided by the Education Sector, the Controller will issue new orders for the schools to follow.
A team from the Bougainville Health Response Team will be visiting schools to ensure that proper facilities and preventive measures are in place before classes resume.
The government has plans that are in progress to ensure that all sectors are responded to in the best interest and more importantly, the safety of the people of Bougainville.
Ends…

280420- ECONOMIC SECTOR TEAM IDENTIFIES SOE ORDERS THAT CAN BE RELAXED.
NEW DAWN FM NEWS
The COVID-19 Operations Command Centre has released a media statement, stating that the economic sector team has identified certain SOE orders that can be relaxed.
This is to allow businesses to remain operational throughout the SOE period, for instance businesses can go back to operating from 8 am- 5 pm.
However, in order for shops to be allowed to be open during this time frame, they must be certified by the Health authorities that the shop is in compliance with health safety standards.
There are additional plans including an economic stimulus package for local businesses that meet the set criteria such as being registered under IPA, have a trading license and being a member of the recognized business association.
The Buka Urban Community Government also proposed to allocate a convenient temporary location that is open and suitable for market vendors to sell fresh produce in a safe manner that maintains social distancing.
Ends…

280420 MARY ACTING SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION
NEW DAWN FM NEWS

The acting secretary for the Bougainville Department of Education, MARY REMI will continue acting in this position for a further six months.
The appointment was made by the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee under Section 30(3)(a) of the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee act of 2018.
The appointment took effect on March 16th, 2020 and would be amended if a permanent appointment is made by the Bougainville Senior Appointments Committee of if six months have passed.
The announcement was made by the ABG President Grand Chief DR.JOHN MOMIS and gazetted on ABG Gazette 23 of 2020.
Meanwhile, another appointment was also made under section 493 of the Political Parties (Registration) Act of 2006.
Here the Bougainville Executive Council has appointed MR. JOHN SISIESI as the acting Registrar of Political Parties.
The term is for six months and was Gazetted under ABG Gazette 24 of 2020.

Ends

280420-OBEC ANNOUNCES THE DATE OF THE ISSUE OF WRITS.
NEW DAWN FM NEWS
THE Bougainville Electoral Commissioner George Manu has announced that the issue of the writs to conduct the ABG 2020 General Elections will be on the 17th of June 2020.
The Electoral Commissioner told NEW DAWN FM that the Health Secretary and the SOE Controller agreed on the time frame he issued to allow the writs to be issued on the 17th of June 2020 and return of the writs to on September 15th 2020.
Mr Manu said the full time line to conduct the elections will have four days for nominations to allow all candidates to come and nominate.
He said the election will be conducted during the State of Emergency period which means people will have to comply with some rules that will be applied during the election.
Mr Manu mentioned that the ABG Health Secretary has come up with some guidelines that everyone including the electoral officials will be following during the conduct of the polling throughout the region.
People throughout the region will be informed on the guidelines of what measures to take once the guidelines are reviewed and finalized.
The Electoral Commissioner appeals to the people to obey the SOE orders, the guidelines and the procedures that will be in place during the conduct of the polling to avoid the spread of the COVID-19.
Meanwhile, OBEC has already received K5 million from ABG to conduct the election and is yet to receive the remaining K8 million as their Budget for the ABG election was Thirteen Million Kina.
Ends////////

270420 BOUGAINVILLE SOE CONTROLLER APOLOGIZES TO PASSENGERS
NEW DAWN FM NEWS
The SOE Controller in Bougainville Francis Tokura has sent his apologies to the 11 passengers who flew back to Moresby after they were not allowed to disembark the plane at Buka Airport on Saturday last weekend.
Mr. Tokura sends his apology to the 11 passengers and their relatives who have been waiting at the Airport and advised that SOE orders on Domestic flights into Bougainville have not been lifted.
As stated in the Bougainville SOE orders he said passenger planes are not allowed until the quarantine facilities and Personal Protective Equipment are in place.
Mr Tokura said the plane was not expected to carry any passengers to Buka but Medical Supplies only.
He said he is very strict on enforcing the orders because he and the other front liners will be the ones to be blamed if any case is confirmed in Bougainville.
Mr. Tokura said he will not be let down by people criticizing him on social media but work faithfully as a mandated controller to make sure innocent Bougainvilleans are safe from the Covid-19.
Ends…