Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho says they are shocked by the number of people that have been arrested for breaking the curfew hours in the last 24 hours.
123 people were arrested last night for breaking curfew hours.
Qiliho says people who should be responsible and leaders in society are also involved in breaking the law.
The Police Commissioner says they will take some of the people to court after their self-quarantine period finishes or at the end of their treatment.
Qiliho says these people are not honest with Police.
He also confirms that the investigation is ongoing into the issue of information being leaked from the Ministry of Health.
He reiterated Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama's message of stay at home, save lives.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bainimarama says this level of lawlessness is irresponsible, un-Fijian and just plain stupid.
He says we are at war with the most devastating global pandemic in 100 years and any disobedience in our ranks will cost us lives.
He sent a strong warning that they don’t care who you are, rules are rules, break them, and you will be found and punished.
Bainimarama says it doesn’t matter how famous you are, it doesn’t matter how rich you are, it doesn’t even matter how religious you feel you are, no one has the magic cure to coronavirus, and no one is immune to our laws.
The Prime Minister says as always, these few bad examples hang a dark shadow over much of the good work being done all throughout the country adding a few irresponsible actors shouldn’t take away from the many more who are following the rules, or the long hours being put in by our frontline workers who are combatting COVID-19.
He further says in Lautoka, for example, thanks to the ongoing efforts by the medical teams on the ground, over 30,000 Fijians have been screened for fevers through temperature checks and in-person outreach.
He adds in his eyes, every Fijian who gets themselves screened on the streets or tested at a fever clinic is a true patriot.
He once again thanked the health workers for their hardwork.
The Prime Minister says come next week, if the government does not see our fever testing numbers go dramatically up, and they don’t see the numbers of the curfew and quarantine violations go dramatically down, they will initiate a nationwide 24-hour curfew.
Bainimarama says if you’re feeling flu-like symptoms visit a fever clinic or call 158 adding if you’re not going to work, buying food, getting money or accessing an essential service, stay at home, otherwise, they will bring in the military and police to lock down all of Fiji.
Bainimarama says but even if we do that, even if we throw every dollar we have into this effort, even if we direct every police officer in the country to force our people to stay in their homes, the government cannot win this war alone.
He says they need every person to take responsibility for the nationwide response.
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