BY KHAMA LINCOLN
ISLES MEDIA FREELANCE REPORTER IN GIZO
WESTERN SOLOMONS Disaster Operation is looking at another lockdown in selected zones to allow contact tracing, in the ongoing effort to control transmission of COVID.
Chairman of Western Provincial Disaster Operation Committee, Provincial Secretary Jefferey Wickham posted a brief notice on Social Media via Facebook this week.
“From Chair PDC to Munda, Noro, Gizo, Toumua, Shortland Islands Residents. Lockdown for your communities will be effective Thursday 24th 2022 starting at 6.00pm end Monday 28th February 2022. Contact 60002 or 7781072 for further advise. Lockdown vital for contact tracing.” The Chairman’s Facebook statement reads.
In an interview with Premier Christian Mesepitu, he said the public are now aware of the proposed lockdown.
“From us the executive, we already approved the recommendations by PDOC last week. The chairman (PS) put up announcement on Facebook. but I don’t get any instruction from the PS, I still wait for confirmation on that.” He said. “We’re still waiting for them to finalize It.
“It depends on the oversight committee to approve it; I don’t get any updates from the oversight committee. but confirmation will come from Honiara, to PDOC then PDOC will advise us.
In relation to that, during the last lockdown in Gizo, the Provincial town has faced shortage of fresh fish, one of the town’s main source of protein.
Despite of that, some residents of Gizo town, access fresh fish from few vendors at a traditional marketing point in the town during lockdown days.
In a previous interview with the PS, he pointed out that, there’s no absolute restriction on Fishermen and Women selling fish during days when the main market closed.
He said, fishermen make their living through fishing and also people need fish for sustenance.
“That has no restriction, because when looking at it, we cannot stop them, that’s their money.” He pointed out.
