Harsh penalties will be given to people who will not follow the signage, he adds.

The Minister for Local Government and Infrastructure, Parveen Bala, has issued a fresh warning to the public to obey signage or face stiff penalties.

Mr Bala was responding to an incident where a 33-year-old woman fell through an open walkway on the old Rewa Bridge last week, which eventually led to her death.

The sidewalks of the old Rewa Bridge at both ends had been been closed with a signage that read:

“WARNING: WALKWAY CLOSED TO ALL PEDESTRIANS”.

The woman, Catherine Molly, was rushed to the Nausori Hospital after she was found under the bridge.

Police sources had said she had fallen through the missing slab on the walkway. She was later transferred to Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM) in Suva but died last Wednesday.

Mr Bala said: “Harsh penalties will be given to people who will not follow the signage.”

He said it was vimportant for the public to follow warning signs carefully.

“Knowing that there is signage, and if still they want to go then situations like this will happen,” he said.

Mr Bala is urging the general public to follow the signage wherever they are installed because it can help save lives.

“We have installed a lot of signage near the creeks, but we still see people dumping rubbish,” he said.

“There is a purpose for putting signage, it’s not for sake of putting it there.”

Mr Bala said they would investigate the matter.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said: “We can only advise precaution during this festive season because it will be a time for parties and merry making so the onus is on each individual to be responsible especially if alcohol is being consumed.”

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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