Police is tightening up its measures in monitoring curfew pass holders and issuers after it was found that forged curfew passes were being flouted at check points.

Commissioner of Police Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho said they will ensure that anyone found to be forging or abusing the curfew passes will be prosecuted.

It comes as known drug peddlers were moving in an out of containment zones freely with valid curfew passes.

This was highlighted in Fiji Sun’s Wednesday edition.

As a result, as recently as yesterday, Yale District and Vunisea in Kadavu, where the Government Station is located, went into lockdown after the first COVID-19 death was identified.

It was established that illegal travel to and from Kadavu was identified as the most possible means of transmitting the COVID-19 virus to the island.

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong said there was one case of COVID-19 from Rakiraki Village in Yale, Kadavu, in the Eastern Division.

“The first COVID case in Kadavu is a 63-year-old woman who was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the Vunisea Hospital in Kadavu on 17/08/2021,” Dr Fong said.

“This death is classified as under investigation while awaiting investigation and issuance of a death certificate by the medical team.”

Pass Authentication

Brigadier-General Qiliho said they were closely in talks with the ministry to authenticate the curfew pass.

“We will get the specimen of the passes they issue and who is signing them,” he said.

“There were a few people issuing these passes which are being taken away from them to a new team now.

“It is something that is happening, and we will produce those people in court for using forged passes.”

Brigadier-General Qiliho some passes are open-ended until 2022 and will review this with the team.

“We have discussed it with the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services and will need to have their passes clearly defined.”

Funeral passes

Brigadier-General Qiliho added that some people arrived at the border checkpoints with passes to go across the border for funerals and come back after two days which Police had put a stop to.

“We have offloaded them at the borders, returned them back, and taken the passes for cancellation,” Brigadier-General Qiliho said.

Checkpoint monitoring

Brigadier-General Qiliho said checkpoint monitoring was done to look after the general security and stability.

“People were noticing the changes and if they thought it was frustrating them then they have to work themselves around the laws and regulations in place.”

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