Jayapura (ANTARA) – Puncak District Head Willem Wandik believes the successful convening of the 20th National Games (PON) in Papua demonstrated the good work of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, and Papua Governor Lukas Enembe.
According to Wandik, President Jokowi had made the right calculations pertaining to holding the Papua PON amid the COVID-19 pandemic through hard work of all related parties.
“Reports were received of athletes and officials being exposed to COVID-19, but many of them have been cured,” Wandik told ANTARA in response to a question regarding the two years of leadership of President Jokowi and Vice President Amin on Wednesday.
The district head admitted that vaccination and stringent health protocols played crucial roles in the convening of the XX Papua PON on October 2-15.
PON’s participants were required to be fully vaccinated to avoid surfacing of moderate to severe symptoms on contracting the virus, while organizers only allowed 25 percent of the venue to be occupied by spectators.
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“Hopefully, there would not be a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, considering that in November, Papua will hold the National Para Games (Peparnas). We are optimistic that the health protocols would still be implemented well,” Wandik stated.
In response to a question posed regarding his aspirations from the Jokowi-Amin administration, Wandik expressed optimism that the moratorium on regional expansion would be lifted in order to facilitate equitable development in the region.
Speaking in connection with the development, Wandik admitted that on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction in several areas had got delayed due to the lack of funds that were diverted for COVID-19 handling.
“Now, since the number of COVID-19 cases had started to decline, it is time for the government to continue to work on the earlier development plans in regions,” he added.
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