AS the focus is now shifting to the western border, the national government is looking at building more quarantine stations in Western and Choiseul Provinces.
Speaking at the weekly talk-back show on Sunday, Secretary to Prime Minister (SPM) Dr. Jimmy Rogers said this has already been confirmed by the Camp Management Committee and Ministry of Finance and Treasury.
Dr. Rogers said at the moment resources are available to quickly finalise the quarantine stations at Nusatupe, Noro, Nila, and Taro.
“Plans on those quarantine stations have been put in place because those are the areas we thought those at the western border can be based at,” he said.
He said testing capability in Gizo is being put up and health is hoping to also expand to Taro so that testing can also be carried out in Choiseul Province headquarter.
“Those are the important steps being taken by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Oversight Committee and the government as a whole,” he added.
Western Provincial Premier David Gina earlier said the government is very slow to assist with the establishment of the quarantine centre at Nusatupe which the province wants that to be soon completed.
Gina said Western Province is really serious in terms of its preparedness and readiness except that the government has failed to provide what they have asked for and that is money.
“Where there is a provincial government, there is a provincial executive and the P-DOC should be answerable to the executive.
“However, our view is that we need money to be injected to the provincial government to enable us to achieve our plans and activities so that we know what we can do in facilitating our programs,” he added.
Gina said when all the activities is rest upon the government, it took time to make it works.
“The work carried out by the government here is too slow especially to set up our quarantine sites but we handle those ourselves, I think we should already do with those quarantine centres.
“Why not give us the money and let us take control of our own activities because we know what we can do and we are the ones living in those sites,” he added.
Gina said he was the first to consult the government with all of their written plans until today where the virus is just next to their doors.
“We are the first province to respond on this COVID-19 issue and I’m the first premier to actually present our report in writing to the Oversight Committee and we just don’t receive any positive response from them,” he said.
However, with the assurance by the government, Western Province is looking forward to completing those quarantine centres and be ready should there be any imported case or unnecessary entry of people coming in should use those centres.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
