The Fiji Police Force will leave no stone unturned in its bid to get through the 14-day Suva lockdown period without any major incident.

Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho said as of yesterday morning, they had erected road blocks at the three main entry points into Suva.

This was after Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced a lockdown in the greater Suva area closing off entry and exit at Delanavesi Bridge on the Queen’s Road, the Sawani junction, and the Nausori Bridge.

Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho said: “We continue to plead with everyone to co-operate with Police officers and officials manning the roadblocks.

“We need everyone to cooperate so we are able to get through the 14-day isolation period without any major incidents.”

(From left: Taraivini Jane, Melaia Maiwasea and Lusiana Nasava at the Nausori border checkpoint. Photo: Kelera Sovasiga

BORDER ACTIVITIES

Members of the Fiji Police Force assisted in the flow of activities at the Sawani junction yesterday.

Amar Sen Ram of Pilling Road Nasinu acknowledged the Police officers who assisted him at the border yesterday.

“Even though we are not able to get to our relatives on the other side, we are grateful that the Government is working hard towards the containment of the COVID-19 virus here,” Mr Ram said.

“Everyone needs to understand that this is for our safety, health and well-being.

“I just left all the boxes of groceries at the checkpoint and they handed it over to a relative who was waiting from inside.

“It was easy and they did not create much hassle.”

Farmers from villagers in Naitasiri had also dropped off their produce at a tent set up by Agro Marketing Fiji before it was transported out by one of its staff into the Suva confined area.

Meanwhile, people living near the Nausori checkpoints had raised concerns on the availability of public transportation such as buses in the area as the Nausori Bridge was cordoned off by Police since 5am yesterday.

Melaia Maiwasea of Waila, Nausori, said: “We had wanted to do our shopping in Nakasi but buses take almost one hour to arrive.”

She said the closing of the Nausori Bridge had affected the flow of transportation in the area.

Meanwhile, life outside the Suva confined area was normal, with our chief photojournalist snapping a photo of people in Navua not adhering to the two metres social distancing rule.

Delainavesi boarder checkpoint. Photo: Kelera Sovasiga

Edited by Ivamere Nataro

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