Acting Permanent Secretary for Economy Shiri Gounder last night provided details of ration distribution made during the Suva-Nausori 56-hour lockdown.

Mr Gounder said: “Whilst we had anticipated to distribute around 7000 packs as announced by Dr Fong, we managed to distribute 4430 food ration packs as distribution period closed at around midnight Sunday.

“On average this was a distribution rate of one pack per every 20 second and this was simultaneously done with proper recoding of every household that received the food pack and also calling and identifying the households that requested for assistance before the distribution.”
Each food pack had eight items, including 10kg rice, 4kg flour, 1kg split peas, 500 ml cooking oil, four tinned fish, 100gram tea leaves, two packs of breakfast crackers and 300grams of powdered milk. Each pack cost $43.50 per pack.

“The food ration packs were procured from Punjas because they are one of our approved suppliers and we have also had past experiences with them in delivering of food ration packs during natural disasters in large quantities and a fast turnaround time,” he said.

“Also, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the frontliners were very much committed with resources stretched out in the Suva-Nausori corridor, and as such procurement had to be centralised in one location preferably in Western Division for the Health officials to ensure that COVID-19 protocols were followed during the packing and movement of the ration packs.”

He said his team had to minimize movement in the Suva-Nausori corrdior because there were possibilities of more positive COVID-19 cases.

Feedback: fonua.talei@fijisun.com.fj