 |  |  |
Anyway, Dr Fong must not allow himself to be the fall guy by reading out statements clearly dictated by Aiyaz Khaiyum and written by QORVIS. As we have argued in the past, Dr Fong should not be fronting the press conference, for he is merely a health administrator. His boss, the Health Minister, should be hosting the press conferences, with appearances from Bainimarama, Khaiyum, the Police Commissioner, Army Commander and other Cabinet Ministers, just like in the United Kingdom. It looks like both Khaiyum and Bainimarama are hiding from Covid. We demand Fiji Airways release the list of passengers and proof that Aiyaz Khaiyum and his wife paid their own airfares from Singapore to Fiji
SCIENCE AND COVID: Boris Johnson flanked by his two scientific advisers
 PM Boris Johnson |  COVID AND ECONOMY Chancellor Rishi Sunak |  COVID CASES: Matt Hancock Health Secretary (Minister) |  COVID TRAVEL: Grant Shapp, Transport Secretary |
 MILITARY AND COVID: General Nick Carter Chief of the Defence Staff |  POLICE AND COVID: Priti Patel Home Secretary |  COVID AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Dominic Raab, Fooreign Secretary |  Dr Jenny Harries, England's deputy chief medical officer |
Republic of Fiji Military Force Commander, Viliame Naupoto will not be making any comments regarding the breach of quarantine protocols by soldiers.
This after confirmation by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong that soldiers who are now tested positive with COVID-19 had breached the protocol while working in the quarantine facility at Tanoa Hotel in Nadi.
Dr Fongs says these soldiers were fraternizing with each other.
When asked for comments, Naupoto says he is not making any comments and says all COVID-19 related matters will be dealt with by Dr. Fong.
This after confirmation by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong that soldiers who are now tested positive with COVID-19 had breached the protocol while working in the quarantine facility at Tanoa Hotel in Nadi.
Dr Fongs says these soldiers were fraternizing with each other.
When asked for comments, Naupoto says he is not making any comments and says all COVID-19 related matters will be dealt with by Dr. Fong.
"According to Dr. Fong the soldiers did not have careFiji app which made it difficult to carry out contact tracing. They were also fraternising among themselves during their 14-day stay at the quarantine centre “against the rules set in place”. With such flagrant breaches of the Covid protocol by the soldiers, one wonders whether any monitoring mechanisms were put in place to ensure compliance. If there were as is to be expected, then obviously they were not working. Sadly, such acts of indiscipline among some members of our Disciplined Forces have, no doubt, done severe damage to the integrity of our border control process – a fact not likely to be ignored by our Pacific Bubble neighbours. Is it too much to expect a statement from the Prime Minister on the grave situation the nation faces today?" -
Fiji Labour Party
FIJI LABOUR PARTY: Dr Fong blaming soldiers for Covid spread in community is REPREHENSIBLE
The revelation by Permanent Secretary for Health Dr. James Fong that soldiers working at Covid quarantine facilities are responsible for the spread of the virus in the local community is reprehensible, to say the least.
There is no question that those responsible must be dealt with according to the law. Dr. Fong says that a probe into the matter has begun. Let us hope that its findings will not be brushed under the carpet to protect those who have endangered the health and, possibly the lives of innocent people.
They have also caused immense damage to our economy and the livelihoods of thousands of our workers who have been temporarily put out of work as a containment measure.
Any hopes of entering the Pacific bubble to restart our tourism industry anytime soon have now been dashed. The indiscipline of a few rogue soldiers has caused the nation a great deal.
According to Dr. Fong the soldiers did not have careFiji app which made it difficult to carry out contact tracing. They were also fraternising among themselves during their 14-day stay at the quarantine centre “against the rules set in place”.
With such flagrant breaches of the Covid protocol by the soldiers, one wonders whether any monitoring mechanisms were put in place to ensure compliance. If there were as is to be expected, then obviously they were not working.
Sadly, such acts of indiscipline among some members of our Disciplined Forces have, no doubt, done severe damage to the integrity of our border control process – a fact not likely to be ignored by our Pacific Bubble neighbours.
Is it too much to expect a statement from the Prime Minister on the grave situation the nation faces today?
The revelation by Permanent Secretary for Health Dr. James Fong that soldiers working at Covid quarantine facilities are responsible for the spread of the virus in the local community is reprehensible, to say the least.
There is no question that those responsible must be dealt with according to the law. Dr. Fong says that a probe into the matter has begun. Let us hope that its findings will not be brushed under the carpet to protect those who have endangered the health and, possibly the lives of innocent people.
They have also caused immense damage to our economy and the livelihoods of thousands of our workers who have been temporarily put out of work as a containment measure.
Any hopes of entering the Pacific bubble to restart our tourism industry anytime soon have now been dashed. The indiscipline of a few rogue soldiers has caused the nation a great deal.
According to Dr. Fong the soldiers did not have careFiji app which made it difficult to carry out contact tracing. They were also fraternising among themselves during their 14-day stay at the quarantine centre “against the rules set in place”.
With such flagrant breaches of the Covid protocol by the soldiers, one wonders whether any monitoring mechanisms were put in place to ensure compliance. If there were as is to be expected, then obviously they were not working.
Sadly, such acts of indiscipline among some members of our Disciplined Forces have, no doubt, done severe damage to the integrity of our border control process – a fact not likely to be ignored by our Pacific Bubble neighbours.
Is it too much to expect a statement from the Prime Minister on the grave situation the nation faces today?
