PM announces 11pm to 4am curfew will remain for the foreseeable future

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has told parliament that the nationwide 11pm to 4am curfew will remain for the foreseeable future.

While responding to the President's speech during the opening of the new parliament session this morning, Bainimarama says the capacity restrictions on sporting events and large public gatherings will also remain for the foreseeable future.

He says those former nightclubs which have been granted approval to operate as venues where people can eat and share drinks with their friends must play by the rules.

Bainimarama says there should be no dancing and no loud music at these venues and if the rules are broken, they will be shut down.

He says when it comes to keeping Fiji COVID-contained every Fijian has a role to play.

The Prime Minister also gave an update on the case where two crew members of the cargo ship MV Island Chief that arrived in Fiji on 2nd December tested positive for COVID-19.

Bainimarama says the indicators point to a low-risk situation.

He says infection protocols were well enforced and none of the crew onboard ever disembarked.

Bainimarama says anyone who had any chance of contracting the virus has been entered into quarantine.

21 officials from the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, Fiji Ports Limited, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, agents for the cargo vessel MV Island Chief and the people they came in contact with have all been quarantined.

Bainimarama says we will defeat COVID-19 and relatively soon and our economy will recover but some challenges are meant to be managed over the long-term.

Bainimarama says climate change and ocean health are among those problems.

He while they have tightened their belt in terms of expenditure, they must continue funding support for businesses especially the micro, small and medium enterprises.