Step by Step How We’re Getting Ready For Reopening on December 1
IWe are going to manage tourism’s revival in step with carefully formulated protocols that keep us a COVID-safe country.
t has been a week since relaxation of most COVID-19 protocols was announced by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. Following the announcement, scores of people returned to activities they had enjoyed before the nation went almost close to a full lockdown.
Now the focus of many is the opening of international borders.
Mr Bainimarama said the target was December 1. He made the announcement at the Fiji Airways Academy on Thursday night.
“We plan to welcome our first flight of tourists on 1st December of this year starting from a list of travel partner countries that include, among others, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Singapore where Fiji Airways flies directly,” he said.
“We are going to manage tourism’s revival in step with carefully formulated protocols that keep us a COVID-safe country.”
Packages which include airfares and hotel accommodations have been advertised abroad. Tourists and Fijians residing in countries which have a travel bubble with Fiji have already started booking.
Sports and other activities
The grounds were filled in the afternoon with people enjoying contact sports. This started on Monday.
Again, the pace was set by Mr Bainimarama, who on Monday played a game of touch rugby signalling the start of sports at Albert Park.
Nilesh Singh and his group of friends had waited almost seven months to play football again at Suva’s $16 million park.
“It felt like coming out of prison. There had been very little exercise for some of us. Some of our friends had put on some weight as well,” he said.
“I definitely look forward to returning to more normal times.”
So far, more than 80 per cent of Fiji’s population have been fully vaccinated. This figure is far better than any of Fiji’s neighbours, including Australia and New Zealand.
Reaching the 90 per cent mark would see the start of the curfew move to 12pm. And may be a total removal of curfew.
Many businesses which operate at night are looking forward to this.
Also starting next week is the administering of the Pfizer vaccine to children between the ages of 12 years and 14.
The Minister for Education also announced new school dates for next year and also examination dates for Years 12 and 13.
Assistance for the unemployed
So far, Government has provided:
■ 343 million dollars in direct cash assistance to affected Fijians, which includes $205 million top-up for the FNPF COVID-19 unemployment assistance;
■ 10.6 million for the $90 cash assistance;
■ 21.4 million for both rounds of the $50 cash assistance;
■ $106 million for the first round of the $360 cash assistance.
This assistance has helped about 300,000 Fijians through the COVID-19 pandemic. And if we add the next round of the $360 assistance, interest rate subsidy, subsidised electricity, water, food ration, access to General Practitioners, we are looking at close to half a billion dollars worth of direct assistance to Fijians.
On Friday the application for the second round of $360 assistance came to a close. The payout for this would at be the end of October going into early November.
The second round of assistance from the Fiji National Provident Fund would be announced then as well.
Voreqe Bainimarama Prime Minister