BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
FOUR Papua New Guinean nationals are at the moment kept under quarantine at Pelau police post in Malaita Outer Islands.
The four were reported to have illegally trans-border the SI-PNG border from Tasman Island (under PNG) and arrived on Saturday morning, December 26 at Pelau.
Supervising PPC Malaita, Mr Michael Ramosaea told this paper on the incident in an interview yesterday.
He said based on report received from Pelau police post on the incident, four men from Tasman Islands trans-border to Pelau Island in Solomon Islands on an out-boat motor engine.
Ramosaea said the men arrived at Pelau after their voyage and upon finding out on the situation, officers at Pelau police post alerted the headquarter on the matter.
He said in respond to the situation, a team consisted of RSIPF, medical, disaster and St John Ambulance deployed to Pelau via patrol boat 05 Gizo on December 27, 2020 to deal with the situation.
Ramosaea said the team arrived in Pelau and report received from them was the men were arrested and put under custody at the police post.
He said reason for their illegal entry is yet to be known at the moment and they now under police investigation.
Ramosaea stressed that the fear on the issue that is now being dealing with the potential spread of covid-19 in Pelau and neighboring Luaniua.
“I said so because upon report received, two men from the group had been reported to be on a direct route from PNG mainland through Tasman and then to Pelau.
“And since we don’t know of their health status it’s a fear because they had direct conduct with 10 locals in Pelau included a police officer who dealt with them upon their arrival.
“Our hope is for positive outcome from our four colleagues PNG nationals and 11 locals for covid-19 free status as testing is carry out on them,” he said.
Ramosaea said in dealing with the situation, the four PNG nationals were put under custody and at the same time quarantine at Pelau police post.
He added that the locals include the police officer were put under quarantine at Bellama Island just outside of Pelau Island.
Bellama Island was an uninhabited island and it believed locals serving the quarantine on the island were given temporary shelter and food as they serve their time on the island.
Ramosaea reiterated that the PNG nationals are put under custody and also quarantined and will soon face charges under this State of Public Emergency.
