Narere residents call for 2 weeks lockdown

Narere residents are calling for a 2 weeks lockdown to contain the virus and say it is frustrating to see that people are breaking the curfew, not following the safety precautions, and are meeting in their communities.

Ricky Prasad says if the virus is contained within 2 weeks of a lockdown then people will be able to resume work and cater for their family’s needs themselves rather than relying on assistance from the government and other organisations.

He says the government should come up with assistance programs so that people have what they need during the lockdown.

Prasad says he knows of his neighbours who are struggling as they are not getting paid. He says they have not been able to go to work for the past five weeks.

Prasad says they have applied for assistance with the government and some non-governmental organizations.

Prasad says that there would be a lot more families who will be struggling in the coming weeks as they also have bills to pay.

He says he knows of instances where people’s electricity has been disconnected.

Energy Fiji Limited’s COVID-19 Relief Assistance that was announced as part of the government’s COVID-19 Relief Budget ended on the 31st of March. The additional 52% subsidy and 4 weeks grace period is no longer offered. Only the 48% government subsidy on the first 100 units remains for customers who earn $30,000 or less.

The resident says people should have the opportunity to make arrangements with respective authorities where they can continue to have essential utility supply and get to pay their bills once they are able to get back to work.

He says it is a bit challenging for him and his wife who are working from home right now and they have to take care of a toddler at the same time but they know that this must be done so that the virus is contained.

Prasad says they live further away from the Red Zone of Navosai but are taking the necessary precautions.

Meanwhile, another resident, Shalen Kumar says it is annoying to see that people are breaking the curfew, not following the safety precautions and meeting in communities and if they continue with this behaviour, we will not be able to get out of this pandemic.

Kumar says the Ministry of Health can only do certain things but at the end of the day, the responsibility is on individuals to follow all the protocols.

Police had earlier said that they are monitoring people who are out, but they cannot be everywhere.

They also said that it is the responsibility of parents to monitor the whereabouts of their children.

Kumar says he and other members of his family have been working from home while his children who attend a private school have been attending classes online but he has seen the frustration amongst people because some of them have lost jobs.

Fijivillage has established that people were going to a funeral gathering in Nausori in groups of 20 and returning to places like Walu Bay. There were 5 groups of 20 at one time in the compound, and grog was also being consumed with bilos being shared.

People are asking how this can be controlled if there is no lockdown as many people suffer while some continue to disregard the COVID-19 guidelines which will see the continuous rise of cases and continued delay of people not returning to work.