For the first time since the announcement of protocol breach by a Republic of Fiji Military Forces soldier at the Tanoa Hotel quarantine facility on Sunday April 18, the  RFMF Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto last night issued a statement via the RFMF YouTube channel.

The video was directed at RFMF personnel and their families.

Rear Admiral Naupoto thanked the RFMF family – those on the frontline and families at home for the work that they continue to do.

“It has been a long journey which started last year and it continues at a much faster pace now because of the situation that we are in and I thank all of you who are working very hard to assist the Ministry of Health as they take the lead in this containment effort.”

He reminded RFMF personnel of their role in the Covid-19 fight.

“The whole reason why we are doing this is because we want to save lives – that’s  the bottom line. We have to do the containment and do our jobs properly because we want to save lives.

“On the contrary, that means that if we do not do our jobs properly, if we break the rules, if we break the Covid-19 protocols – we are putting lives in danger.

“Our job that is required of us, requires integrity. We need to be doing the right thing because it is simply the right thing to do. Not because somebody is watching, not because we fear that if we do not do what is right that we will be punished.  We do it out of integrity – because we know that it is the right thing to do.  That way when no one is watching, when you’re working in quarantine, when you’re in quarantine, when you’re doing screening or whatever that task that is given to you, you will simply do it correctly because you know that that is simply the right thing to do.

“And when you do that, we save lives – which is what we are all trying to do.”

When he talked about the criticisms levelled at his troops and the RFMF, Rear-Admiral Naupoto was  emotional.

“I know that there has been criticism that come our way. That’s alright, that’s OK – we’ll see and review the way that we are doing things to make sure we do things better.

“Please do not let the criticism detract us from doing the right thing and what is required of us at this time.”