Lockdown, curfew, begin in Tonga on Sunday: People must stay home, most businesses closed

1) Kuo pau ke kamata ngāue'aki 'a e Fanongongo ni mei he 1:00 pongipongi 'o e 'aho Sāpate 29 'o Mā'asi 2020 ki he 1:00 pongipongi 'o e 'aho Sāpate 5 'o 'Epeleli 2020 3) Kuo pau ki he tokotaha kotoa ke mavahe 'o nofo 'i 'api (isolate at home) tukukehe kapau 'oku fiema'u ke: a) Fakatau mai pe 'oatu ha ngaahi koloa 'oku fiema'u vivili ma'ae fāmili. (Purchasing or supplying of essential consumer goods for their families) b) Ma'u mai 'a e ngaahi naunau faito'o pe kumi ha tokoni fakafaito'o. (Obtaining medical supples or seeking medical assistance) c) Ma'u 'a e ngofua ki he ngaahi ngāue fakapangikē mo ha ngaahi ngāue fakapa'anga kehe. (Access to banking and other financial services) d) 'Alu ki he ngāue ko e mēmipa 'o ha kautaha fakahoko ngāue 'oku fiema'u vivili 'a ia 'oku hā 'i he Tepile A. (Attending work as a member of an essential service provider, as set out in Appendix A) 4) Kuo pau ke tapui 'a e fe'alu'aki 'i he po'uli (night-time curfew) mei he taimi 8:00 efiafi ki he taimi 6:00 pongipongi. 5) Kuo pau ke fakamālohi'i 'a e tapui 'o e fe'alu'aki 'i he po'uli 'e he Polisi Tonga, Kau Tau 'a 'Ene 'Afio mo e kau 'ofisa (kuo fakamafai 'e he Minisitā 'oku ne tokangaekina 'o e me'a fakafokifā) pe ko ha taha kuo fokotu'u 'e he Minisitā Mo'ui 'i he "Lao ki he Mo'ui 'a e Kakai 2008". 6) Kuo pau ke ta'ofi 'o 'ikai toe ngāue'aki 'a e ngaahi me'a feuta'aki kakai fakalotofonua (domestic public transport) tukukehe 'a e ngaahi feuta'aki 'oku faka'atā 'i he palakalafi 12. 7) Kuo pau ke tāpuni kotoa 'a e ngaahi pā (bars), ngaahi falekai (restaurants), ngaahi naiti kalapu (night clubs), ngaahi falekoloa fakatau'anga kava fakamovetevete (retail bottle shops) mo e ngaahi ngaohi'anga kava kuo laiseni (liguor manufacturers). 8) Kuo pau ke tāpuni kotoa 'a e ngaahi pisinisi (licensed busineses) mo e ngaahi ngāue fakapisinisi (business activities) kotoa kuo laiseni tukukehe 'a e ngaahi fakatau'anga lalahi (supermarkets) mo e ngaahi falekoloa fakamovetevete (retail shops) 'oku nau fakatau atu 'a e ngaahi fiema'u vivili (essential needs), mo kinautolu kuo faka'atā 'i he palakalafi 12. 9) Kuo pau ke tapui kotoa 'a e ngaahi fale 'oku ngāue'aki 'e he kakai (public facilities), ngaahi kātoanga (events) mo e ngaahi fakataha'anga (gatherings) 'o hangē ko e ngaahi ako'anga, ngaahi fai'anga lotu, #ngaahi #kalapu #kavatonga, ngaahi kalapu sipoti, pingikou (bingo), ngaahi fale fakamālohisino, ngaahi kātoanga mo e ngāue fakasipoti (sporting events and activities), ngaahi fakafiefia 'o e ngaahi fai'aho, ngaahi mali, mo ha ngaahi fakataha'anga felāve'i fakafiefia kehe (other recreational or related gatherings). 10) Kuo pau ke fakangatangata ha fakataha'anga ouau putu ki he tokolahi ko e toko 10 'i loto 'i fale mo e toko 20 'i tu'a pea ke 'i ai mo ha 'ofisa (kuo fakamafai 'e he Minisitā 'oku ne tokangaekina 'o e me'a fakafokifā, pe ko ha taha kuo fokotu'u 'e he Minisitā Mo'ui) 'i he lolotonga 'o e putu. 11) Kuo pau ke ma'u 'e he Polisi Tonga mo e Kau Tau 'a 'Ene 'Afio mo ha kau 'ofisa fakamafai 'a e mafai ke fakamālohi'i (enforce) 'a e Fanongonongo ni ko'euhi ko e ngaahi taumu'a ke malu'i 'a e malu 'a e kakai mo hono tauhi 'o e malu 'a e mo'ui 'a e kakai. 12) Kuo pau ke faka'atā mei he Fanongonongo ni 'a e kotoa 'o e ngaahi ngāue 'oku fiema'u vivili mo e ngaahi ngāue felāve'i mo ia, 'a ia 'oku hā 'i he Tepile A.

Tonga will go into lockdown at 1am on Sunday morning, April 29.

There will also be a night time curfew from 8pm to 6am.

Prime Miniser Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said the lockdown was being ordered as a response to the World Health Organization declaration that the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) was a global Pandemic and was accelerating.

Everybody is expected to stay home except when buying or supplying essential consumer goods for their families; obtaining medical supplies or seeking medical assistance; going to the bank or going to work for an essential service provider.

All public transport will stop, except where exempted.

All liquor licensed bars, restaurants, night clubs, retail bottle shops and liquor manufacturers must stop trading.

All licensed businesses and business activities shall be closed except supermarkets and retail shops selling essential needs and other exempted places.

All public facilities, events and gatherings such as education institutions, religious, kava clubs, bingo, sports clubs, gyms, sporting events and activities, celebrations of birthdays, marriages and other recreational or related gatherings shall be prohibited.

Funerals will be restricted to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, with an authorized officer to be present throughout.

Exemptions

Most levels of government have been recognised as essential services.

Businesses that can stay open include any entity or person involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods essential for maintaining the wellbeing of people.

This does not include restaurants, cafes or takeaway shops.

The National Reserve Bank of Tonga; banks,  insurers, retirement and pension funds and other financial institutions, including any entity that contracts or provides services to them may stay open.

Pharmacies and private health and dental clinics can remain open.

The list of exemptions also includes private security guards telecom providers, as well as international development programmes.

The government has also granted an exemption to building and construction related to essential services and critical infrastructure and required to maintain human health and safety at home or work.

Courts and Tribunals have also been exempted.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday, Tonga has already sealed its borders, banning international flights and cruise ships.

Elsewhere in the Pacific

New Zealand has entered the first full day of lockdown, with Prime Minister Jacinda Adern warning that the number of Covid-19 cases will rise before the infection level begins to tail off. She said in a broadcasts from home that numbers would rise in the first few days after the country’s period of self-isolation began.

In Fiji, Suva has not shut down despite the country’s fourth Covid-19 case being recorded in the capital.

The country’s second biggest city of Lautoka – where the first case was reported – has been in lockdown since 20 March.

And in Samoa, which shut its  border with American Samoa last Thursday, the government has warned it will start fining people and organisations that do not stick to the new lockdown rules.

Lockdown requirements no more than five people can gather in public.

Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi said individuals would be fined $US45 for their first offence and $US245 for a repeat.

Fines for organisations – including churches – are $US2,080, increasing to $US2,916.

Radio New Zealand reported that under the new arrangements, inter-island passenger travel has been halted.

The main points

  • Tonga will go into lockdown at 1am on Sunday morning, April 29.
  • There will also be a night time curfew from 8pm to 6am.

For more information

Government bans all international flights for two weeks, all cruise ships are banned

Fiji Govt says Lautoka still locked down but not Suva

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/412559/fiji-govt-says-lautoka-still-locked-down-but-not-suva

Samoa to fine people who don’t adhere to Covid-19 restrictions

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/412587/samoa-to-fine-people-who-don-t-adhere-to-covid-19-restrictions

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