The Punanga Nui Market (PNM) will be open Saturday with continuing public health measures in place.

One major change for this weekend is that, as required by a new Ministerial Order, it will now be compulsory to either tag-in with your CookSafe QR card at one of the tag-in stations provided or complete a manual registration form if you do not have a CookSafe card.

This process will be monitored and anyone who does not either tag-in with their card or complete the form provided maybe refused entry to the market area.

As per last week, the CookSafe tag-in stations and manual registration forms will be located:

• At the western side entrance (near the Avatiu Bridge)

• next to the Maroro Fish Hut and;

• in front of the Punanga Nui office opposite The Bond Store.

All vendors and visitors are once again encouraged to tag-in at one of these entry points before continuing into the PNM area and to practice all the public health measures recommended by Health Ministry Te Marae Ora under the current Alert Level 2.

These measures include:

• Practicing good hand hygiene.

• Taking care when coughing and sneezing and to do so into your elbow.

• Physical distancing by keeping two metres apart from other people where possible.

• Wherever physical distancing is not practical, face masks covering the mouth and nose should be worn instead.

As was the case last Saturday, there will be a single one-way only vehicle entrance for vendors and customers located next to the Avatiu Bridge, with all vehicles required to exit via the Taua Terevete area at Constitution Park.

The walkthrough across the Avatiu Shortcut Bridge behind the market will remain closed, as will the four shortcut entrance archways across from the Ruatonga meeting house on the main road. The playground area will also remain closed.

The Constitution Park entrance will also be closed to the general public but will be used as an exit for traffic.

PNM manager William Taripo says there was a great level of compliance with the tag-in and manual registration system last week and he hopes to see the same again this Saturday.

“I look forward to seeing you all bright and early on Saturday morning.”

• CIIC