More than 20,000 applications received for government’s food assistance

More than 20,000 applications have been received under the government’s food assistance program so far as food distribution continues for affected families in the Suva and Nausori lockdown area.

Ministry of Economy Coordinator Kamal Gounder says they distributed more than 1000 packs till early this morning but are yet to tally the current number of distributions.

Gounder says they have cleared a number of areas in Suva and Nausori and have divided themselves into 11 teams to make the distribution easier.

He says one of the challenges their teams are facing is that people are coming out of their homes and queuing up to get the food packs.

Gounder says they faced this in Caubati and their teams had to revert from the area.

He is urging people to follow the guidelines in place and has assured the people that they will come to them.

Fijians living in Suva and Nausori who genuinely require emergency food supply can put their request by dialing *161# where they must provide their name and other details including street address that will allow the Ministry to locate them quickly.

Meanwhile families living in Caubati, Muanikoso Settlement, Kalokalo Crescent, Laqere, parts of Makoi, Valelevu, Nadera and other parts of the Suva Nausori lockdown area have been provided with food ration packs during the current lockdown period.

One of the recipients, Peter Moti says the ration provided will feed him and his family for the next two days.

Another recipient, Margaret Turaga says there are 10 of them in the family and this assistance will help sustain them until after the lockdown.

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Acting Permanent Secretary for Economy, Shiri Gounder has assured Fijians in the lockdown areas that they have sufficient packs for distribution and if need be, more can be organised.

Gounder says this is a multi-stakeholder operation that includes the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Health, RFMF, Fiji Police Force, Fiji Corrections Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forests, the Land Transport Authority, Water Authority of Fiji, Vodafone, Digicel and many other stakeholders.