A lesson for all

SINCE independence we have never been faced with threat of a deadly virus such as COVID-19 and have to take certain extreme precautions, temporarily change our daily lifestyles, adjust to no entry/exit zones, control our freedom of movement, abandon taking part in outdoor activities, reduce gatherings of no more than 20 people anywhere within the country and strictly practice some healthy habits.

We all should in future be prepared to make adjustments regarding any sort of inconvenience, discomfort, disruptions, keeping distance, avoiding too much contacts, cutting short local/overseas holidays, abandoning recreational activities, obeying few restrictions put in place and strictly looking after our health.

This COVID-19 virus has created a lockdown situation, selfexile, avoid socialising with people, anxiety, panic, fear, rushing to purchase consumer items and it is really causing restless days and sleepless nights for those who are trying to control the virus and those who wish to protect themselves.

Panic buying should not happen and as communicated by the government, business outlets, Consumer Council of Fiji and Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, there is no shortage of essential consumer items. Many items have expiry dates and some products can begin to perish so just purchase for a week and fortnights supply.

I am not staying in a lockdown area but in Nasinu (Central Division) and as a precaution I have stopped visiting my neighbours for talanoa sessions, requested relatives and friends to avoid visiting us for some time, controlled my movements a lot, following health tips as advised by medical authorities and only go out of my home when necessary to buy vegetables/ some groceries and return home as quickly as possible.

Simply put it there is just no other choice this time or to lose your life. It is far better to stay within our boundaries for some time rather than falling sick, ending being isolated, treated by medical authorities and even losing our life.

I believe this COVID-19 will take some time before it is brought fully under control and citizens in any part of the world will be able to carry on with their daily activities and move around freely without any fear.

But by following strict guidelines, precautions, regulations and also through

God’s intervention COVID-19 can vanish soon.

Small island nations such as Fiji is already feeling the full effect of this virus and it is now affecting our revenue generation especially from tourism sector side.

It is sometimes difficult to know about unforeseen circumstances or incidents that can arise and what can happen today, next week, next month or within a year and this is a good lesson for our country.

We really need not be too much dependent on just one sector to support us financially but there are other income generating areas that needs to be given high priority rather than just talking and reminding about it time and again.

We should from now onwards control borrowing from overseas so that in this type of situation it does not place pressure on debt re-payments and end up paying more interests. We cannot deny that there are vast areas of land still underutilised in our country and it is now time to take serious actions and increase production. We can become quite self-sufficient, our expenditure through imports can be drastically reduced and income from exports increased to feel financially secure in this type of crisis.

In any adverse situations whether it be natural disasters , man-made disasters and disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, we could continue with our daily living without much disruptions if only we become self-sufficient to a great extent.

It was a good initiative by government to plant more than four million trees but this should have taken place more than 10 years ago and by now we could be harvesting trees for timber usage and selling them for overseas markets.

Our mangroves should not be destroyed at all but more replanting undertaken and in fact they are a good source for some sea products. When restrictions are placed on catching certain fish it is done to allow more breeding to take place for fish population to boom.

I went shopping twice since last week and I noticed people buying a lot of tinned fish. Our seas are full of fish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and many other sea products and they can be made available in abundance for consumption purpose. Abundance of produce derived from sea and land can be of great relief and assistance during this type of crisis situation.

Right now our government is putting high priority towards people’s health and well-being and everyone’s support is really vital. It is focusing on prevention is better than cure. So citizens and especially those in lockdown areas, do not disobey lawful instructions, act too smart and find ways and means to hide from security forces to enter restricted zones.

We all want freedom of movement and to socialise as much as possible but this time put some control on them and let things normalise. Do not let a situation arise when government has to declare emergency over Fiji and things will then become really tough for us.

It is really a big shame that few people in the west have been charged for disobeying the restrictions placed within the lockout boundary. You all should be supporting government’s effort to rid our nation from COVID-19 rather than it spreading within our population and causing more harm to health of people and creating an economic disaster for our island nation.

Once COVID-19 leaves our shores, we all can then together sing: Blessing Grant, Oh God of Nations, On the Isles of Fiji. As We Stand United under Noble Banner Blue, Shores of Golden Sand and Sunshine, Happiness and Song...May God bless Fiji evermore. CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH

Sivi Rd, Caubati Housing, Nasinu