The Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport says they have assessed approximately 1,000 applications from businesses, including movement passes.
The Ministry says adhering to COVID safe protocols, the list of essential businesses as previously announced by the government remain in effect and these include businesses such as telecommunication, garbage collection, pharmacies and funeral services, predominantly businesses that have minimum human interaction.
It further says these essential businesses are important to ensure food security, fuel availability, uninterrupted communication channels or connectivity, and access to goods and services produced beyond Fijian shores.
The Ministry adds Fiji’s second wave of COVID-19 necessitated adjustments in this list of businesses and they in consultation with the Ministry of Health have had to take into consideration the current 24-hour curfew lockdown for the Suva-Nausori containment zone.
They further say similarly, a more stringent approach was taken by temporarily restricting certain businesses, such as supermarkets, in support of Fiji’s contact tracing efforts.
They add they had to consider all other possible scenarios, such as extended lockdown to ascertain how industries such as textile, clothing and footwear and the business process outsourcing would continue in the long term.
It further says therefore, the type of essential businesses allowed to operate, keeping in mind the current COVID-19 pandemic, are predominantly businesses that are absolutely deemed an essential service and have minimum human interaction.
They add while they want to ensure that businesses that are essential for everyday survival can operate safely, other businesses that may wish to operate would be required to wait until Fiji is clear of the risks posed by movement of people.
They reiterate that businesses approved to operate are doing so with adherence to COVID-safe protocols.
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