Business
8th April
Women and low-paid among worst hit by UK coronavirus job cuts
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Low-paid workers, young people and women are most likely to have lost work in Britain due to the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus lockdown, researchers said on Monday. Before...
COVID-19: Donors told of double dippers
Donors assisting affected families in the Western Division have been urged to contact the Commissioner Western’s office operations centre of the communities or families they will be assisting. Fiji Council of Social Services team leader West Mosese Baseisei said this was to ensure that there was no double-dipping by beneficiaries. “We would like them to...
COVID-19: Fijian Government pays out $5m to FNPF
The Fijian Government has disbursed $5million to the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) as of last week. Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said they expected to disburse more funds this week. These funds are sourced from the COVID-19 Response Budget. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the Government continued to be concerned with employers not giving their...
COVID-19: Export companies allowed in lockdown areas – A-G
Companies involved in the export of goods to Pacific Island countries will be allowed to operate in the lockdown areas of Suva and Lautoka, says Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. During a press conference last Saturday, he said businesses in some sectors of the economy were allowed to operate from lockdown areas and...
Cemex resumes Mexico operations after brief pause due to coronavirus
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican cement company Cemex said on Monday it would resume operations in the country, hours after announcing a pause, as fresh guidelines from the government permitted such a move. “In accordance with the technical guidelines published today in the official Mexican gazette, the company will resume operations in Mexico to support...
COVID-19: Employers have not been forthcoming – A-G
Fiji’s Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has encouraged employers in the Suva and Lautoka lockdown areas to assist their employees access Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) monies. He said they had found that some employers were hesitant to assist their workers access FNPF COVID-19 assistance because they were late in their FNPF contributions....
7th April
COVID-19: Taxi business takes a nosedive in Nausori – Chetty
Life has not been easy for many taxi drivers in Nausori following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. For many, this has meant taking home less pay, or returning the vehicles to their owners for an indefinite period. Arjun Chetty, 66, has been driving taxi in Nausori for 46 years now. He...
Fiji Airways takes A330 aircraft to Australia
Fiji Airways has taken its A330 aircraft to Brisbane and Sydney, Australia, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold approaches the Fiji group. Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive Andre Viljoen said the aircraft would return to Fiji once the cyclone threat had passed. “Two Fiji Airways’ B737 aircraft, along with the entire Fiji Link fleet, are...
COVID-19: ANZ offers loan repayment deferrals
With the economic downturn becoming more acute for Fiji and the other Pacific countries because of COVID-19, the ANZ Bank is now offering loan repayment deferrals of up to six months for Pacific customers financially affected by COVID-19. ANZ regional executive for the Pacific Tessa Price said loan repayment deferrals meant that qualifying customers would...
COVID-19: FNPF to assist identified companies
The Fiji National Provident Fund will only assist companies who have been identified for now, says Fund CEO Jaoji Koroi. He said an updated list would be publicised this week. “The forms are just beginning to come through from the employers and we will be processing lots of payments later on this week,” he said....
COVID-19: Kumar – No reason to reduce stall fees
Fiji’s Local Government Minister Premila Kumar says she does not see any reason for supporting market vendors’ requests for stall fees to be reduced. She said there was no shortage of vegetables and customers were in need of a regular supply of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Even the Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that...
COVID-19: Sole traders eligible for $1k
Sole proprietors such as cabbies, minivan drivers and those who manage small businesses can access $1000 from their own Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) account. This, according to Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. During a press conference last week, he said after discussions with FNPF, the fund agreed to assist sole proprietors in...
COVID-19: Narube – Huge gaps in Fiji’s defence; carriers free to move
Widespread testing for COVID-19 should be considered by Government, says former Reserve Bank governor and Unity Fiji party leader Savenaca Narube as he called on Government to find more money for widespread testing. He said the new cases revealed huge gaps in Fiji’s defence as it allowed the carriers of the virus to move freely around...
6th April
COVID-19: Salon customers urged to call 158
FIJIANS who were at the Jade Hair and Beauty Salon at MHCC and the Supercuts hair salon at Damodar City in Suva on March 23, 25 or 30 and April 1 have been urged to contact the Health Ministry. The ministry said it would like to hear from all customers who made appointments with the...
COVID-19: Virus rent relief plan
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission is developing a policy aimed at providing relief to tenants who are renting during the COVID-19 crisis. This, according to Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar. She said the ministry and FCCC were in discussion on the issue. “I’ve asked FCCC to work out a policy because we do...
COVID-19: Strict conditions put in place for cargo trucks
Strict conditions have been put in place for trucks transporting cargo/freight seeking to cross the lockdown border. The new conditions have been announced by the Transport Ministry in consultation with the Fiji Police Force, Republic Fiji Military Forces, Ministry of Health and Medical Services and other relevant stakeholders. The conditions are as follows: Trucks carrying...
COVID-19: Traders urged to refrain from unnecessarily marking up prices of basic food items
Fiji’s Agriculture Ministry has called on all those who are in the market supply chain to consider the impact of COVID-19 on all Fijian households and to refrain from unnecessarily marking up prices of basic food items such as crops and vegetables. Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy has urged producers, middlemen, and vendors to sell...
4th April
Grounded planes insured for more than $160 billion – report
LONDON (Reuters) – Aeroplanes with a total insured value of more than $160 billion are grounded around the world, presenting risks for insurers, a report said on Friday. Singapore has the largest number of planes standing idle at airports, at 205, with Hong Kong second at 178, the report by insurance broker Gallagher said. There...
3rd April
COVID-19: Fijian civil service implements work-from-home for Government
Work-from-home (WFH) arrangements are now being implemented by the Ministry of Civil Service for the whole of Government. In a statement issued this evening, the Government stated this was to ensure civil servants were compliant with the COVID-19 measures enacted by the Fijian Government. “The Fijian Government announced the Work-from-home Guidelines for Civil Servants on...
COVID-19: Post Fiji focuses on other revenue options
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted Post Fiji’s focus from its usual service to other various options to maintain its revenue line and sustain its business. Post Fiji CEO Dr Anirudha Bansod told a press conference today that its postal revenue had substantially dropped, which was expected as the entire EMS and international parcels had stopped...
COVID-19: Municipal councils decentralise main central markets
Fiji’s 13 municipal councils are decentralising the main central markets in their municipalities to deal with issues of overcrowding and the lack of physical distancing of buyers during this COVID-19 crisis period. Local Government Minister Premila Kumar said the decentralised markets would be opened in suburbs, parks and other areas to give options to consumers...
COVID-19: Fiji Link suspends Nadi and Suva flights
All scheduled Fiji Link flights between Nadi and Suva for today are suspended. Fiji Airways managing director Andre Viljoen said the suspension was a result of the lockdown of the capital city announced yesterday. “Scheduled Fiji Link services are no longer available,” Mr Viljoen said in a statement issued today. “As with other flight suspensions, impacted...
COVID-19: Two salons close shop; Staff to self-quarantine
Jade Fiji’s outlet located at the MHCC complex and the Supercuts outlet at Damodar City have closed shop. The couple who were confirmed of having COVID-19 as announced yesterday was working for the two companies. Jade Fiji confirmed via its Facebook Page of the closure of its MHCC branch, and a staff member of Supercuts...
COVID-19: Patterson Shipping passengers to Labasa advised to contact helpline
Fijians who travelled to Nabouwalu, Bua, from Natovi on the Patterson Shipping ferry last Friday are advised to urgently contact the Northern Division COVID-19 helpline. It is understood that a person of interest who had a travel history to India was on the same ferry. These passengers can contact the Northern Division COVID-19 helpline on...
COVID-19: Navua service station feels the impact
A number of businesses in Navua are expected to be affected because of the lockdown of the greater Suva area in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. One such business is the fuel business. Ravin Singh has been working at Rajeevs service station for nearly a decade now. He said vehicles would usually come in...
2nd April
COVID-19: FNPF assistance extends to Suva lockdown zone
Members of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) working within the perimeters of the Suva lockdown area, and those whose employment has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, now qualify to apply for assistance. This means the same arrangement implemented for the Lautoka COVID-19 lockdown zone now applied to FNPF working members in the Suva-Nausori...
Impact on cash flow, liquidity
THE impact of coronavirus on public life and the economies in Fiji and Vanuatu are expected to affect the overall operations of FijiCare Insurance Ltd and the group including its liquidity and cash flows for 2020 financial year. A market announcement sent by the company yesterday stated that while this was expected to have a...
COVID-19: FNPF members unemployed for last six months eligible to withdraw funds
Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) members who have been unemployed for the last six months are now also eligible to withdraw funds from their accounts. The announcement was made by Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum this afternoon. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said those workers might not have been unemployed for some reasons apart from COVID-19, but...
COVID-19: HFC waives bank statement fee
HFC Bank has removed its fee for bank statements for those that require this document for assistance from the Fiji National Provident Fund in light of the present COVID-19 pandemic. The bank initially charged a $3 fee for a page of the bank statement. General Manager Operations and Transformation Admond Chandra this evening said HFC...
COVID-19: Essential businesses to remain open during lockdown
Essential businesses will remain open during the lockdown period which starts in Suva, Fiji, tomorrow. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama announced the list at a press conference today. ☑️ Air and rescue services ☑️Air traffic control services, civil aviation ☑️Telecommunication services ☑️ Food and sanitary manufacturing plants ☑️Electricity services ☑️Emergency services, fire services, health and hospital...
