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Bougainville SoE Controller issues second emergency orders

As today marks the end of the first 21 days of State Of Emergency (SOE) orders in Bougainville, Chief of the Bougainville Police Service and Bougainville Emergency Controller Francis Tokura issued new orders for Bougainville for the next two months of extension. 

The following orders shall be complied and adhered to:
1. Government Employees shall continue to be paid during the State of Emergency (SOE) and shall resume normal duties when the Bougainville Emergency lapses. This period shall not be deducted from their leave entitlements.
2. Where required non-essential Government Employees shall work from home and maintain communication through appropriate means.
3. All schools in Bougainville shall resume upon advice by the Controller.
4. Personnel from the following essential Public Service shall continue to work through the State of Emergency period:
  -All Health Sector Workers
  -Immigration and Border Security
  -PNG Customs Service and Quarantine Authority
  -Bougainville Police Service and ABG Payroll
5. Except on medical grounds, there shall be no commercial flights into Bougainville until proper quarantine and screening facilities are fully established.
6. PNG Ports shall provide access to Buka and Kieta ports for the taskforce personnel to clear all incoming cargo vessels destined to these ports, and Cargo vessels destined for Language port shall undergo clearance in Kieta port.
7. All cargo vessels destined for Buka, Kieta and Kangu Ports are required to comply with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Controller.
8. Any other agency from time to time shall provide it's services at the directions of the Bougainville Controller of Emergency.
9. Private businesses, development partners and the essential service providers listed in paragraph (4) shall adopt and implement safe work practices. This includes limiting the number of employees in workplace, adopting alternative work arrangement and ensuring safe hygiene work conditions.
10. All citizens who develop symptoms associated with COVID-19 shall stay at home and seek medical assistance by calling the COVID-19 Hotline numbers 1800200 (Port Moresby) or 74460830 (Bougainville).
11. Essential service providers in Bougainville will continue to operate during the State of Emergency from 10am to 3pm. The following are deemed to be the essential services:
  -Pharmaceutical, Medical clinics and Private Health Services
  -Banking and financial services
  -Grocery shops, trade stores and supermarkets
  -Hotels, Restaurants and cafeteria
  -Telecommunication and mobile service providers and public utilities
  -Fuel stations
12. There shall be no sudden increase in the prices of goods and services during this State of Emergency.
13. All service or listed in paragraph (11) will continue to operate and shall adopt and implement safe work practices. This include where necessary, limiting the number of employees in the workplace and/or safe work environment.
14. There is total closure/ban on the following activities during the State of Emergency:
  -Gambling activities including housie-housie, cards dice and mobile games,bomb
  -Night clubs, liquor outlets,sports/social clubs
  -Sporting activities, musical,cultural events
  -Bakeries, fast foods and take away outlets
  -Diocese of Bougainville Pizza House and
  -Main markets and small markets within the Urban Towns of Buka,Arawa and Buin. This includes Hahela, Hutjena, Bendaun, Pikus markets in urban areas, and Suin, Yokomori,Boira. Morgan junction and other markets that attract large crowds along the highway.
15. All small roadside markets outside of urban centers are open only to sell local:
  -fresh fruits and vegetables,
  -fresh garden food like taro, kaukau, banana and
  -fresh fish
16. The following are not allowed at Roadside markets:
   -Cooked and fried foods and
   -soft drinks, store goods
17. All sale and transportation of betelnut is prohibited during the State of Emergency.
18. Strictly no more than 10people are allowed for the following activities:
   -Public gatherings,
   -Church services or preaching and
   -Assembling and meetings.
19. Public transport services shall operate under the following conditions:
 -vehicles up to 4tonnes shall carry no more than 15 passengers
-4tonne PMV buses shall carry not more than 8 passengers and
-taxis are permitted to carry not more than 2 passengers.
20. There shall be no sudden increase in PMV and Taxi fares during this State of Emergency.
21. Private vehicles shall operate under the following conditions:
- Open Back Land cruisers are allowed to carry not more than 5 passengers
- Ten seaters are allowed not more than 8 passengers
- 4door Land cruisers  are allowed not more than 6 passengers
- 5door Land cruisers are allowed not more than 4 passengers
- utilities not more than 6 passengers 
- sedans, station wagons, private cars will carry not more than 4 passengers.
22. All small boats operated by outboard motor engines ferrying passengers across Buka passage shall not carry passengers more than 5 person(s).
23. All traditional boarder crossers at International Border between PNG and Solomon Islands and domestic crossing between Bougainville, ENB and New Ireland are banned.
24. Yachts are strictly prohibited to carry not more than 8 passengers during the period of the State of Emergency.
25. Passenger ships operating within Bougainville waters and Atolls shall not carry more than 15 passengers with cargoes during the period of the State of Emergency.
26. The Controller may issue orders to control the following:
  -Overcrowding and social distancing
  -Public Hygiene and Sanitation in the urban townships and
  -Public awareness
27. Non-compliance of the above is unlawful and is liable for prosecution and punishment under the regulation and or other applicable laws.
28. Any authorized officer(s) appointed by the Emergency Controller pursuant to the Regulation, shall carry out and enforce the Emergency Orders accordingly.
29. All citizens are reminded that moving from your Constituency to another Constituency is restricted except for essential travels only.
These Emergency orders were issued yesterday (12th April) and must be adhered to for the next two months.
The SOE orders in Bougainville were extended for two months when the Bougainville House of Representatives (BHoR) met during the special Parliament sitting last week.
 

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