THE Provincial Disaster Committee Chairman (PDC) and Western Provincial (WP) Provincial Secretary Jeffery Wickham says people of WP must be alert during the current state of emergency (SOE).
Wickham in a statement encourages the people of Western Province to also be steadfast and firm as his committee and advisory committees to roll out a number of regulations that may affect everyone.
But he assures the public that the measures taken are solely for the benefit of the people and may prove life-saving in an unwanted future situation.
“In the event that the COVID-19 virus enters the country, we would already be in a position to look after ourselves and manage the spread of the deadly virus,” he said.
He explained that a great and deadly example can be seen from many countries around the world that are faced with immense devastation, largely due to being ill-prepared for such a pandemic.
“We do not want this to happen to us.
“Aa far as we are concerned the Western Province has a big interest in the virus as we are host to active or open entry points that may possibly bring in the virus through the Noro Port and our shared border with Papua New Guinea.
“Western Province must think heavily about a possible situation in the case that the virus does find its way into our shores,” cautioned Mr. Wickham.
The chairman acknowledged the shift and timely actions of authorities and personnel who have worked tirelessly to ensure that working committees from multiple sectors had been activated and assumed their duty.
The timely effort has seen that operations committees put in effect emergency orders and measures since the beginning of March this year and though the work is continuous, it has placed the west in a relatively prepared position.
“I want to thank the people of WP for taking a keen interest in following the instructions that have been asked of us by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and I ask that we continue to follow health instructions.
“We truly understand that the procedures and measures we the PDC have implemented upon you may feel new and unfamiliar to us, but we are confident that if we are to face a COVID-19 future, these procedures and measures will be the very thing that will help us in the fight against the virus.”
The provincial secretary concluded by saying the collective effort of the people is what will place the province in a better position to fight the spread of the virus for the betterment and of the province.
By TERENCE ZIRU
In Gizo
