The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission is expanding its manpower to help relevant authorities to ensure businesses are adhering to COVID-19 measures.

Under the Public Health Amendment Act, businesses and customers who fail to follow the COVID-19 measures while shopping will be charged accordingly.

FCCC Chief Executive, Joel Abraham says they’ve also adopted some changes in order to effectively carry out their monitoring work.

“One of the first things that we’ve done is change our clothing attire. We are no longer in uniforms so people are going out as civilians and just walking through, ensuring that we are able to do the necessary checks as mystery shoppers.”

Abraham says they are also expanding their manpower in order to successfully ensure the enforcement of such measures.

“We are now hiring students out of universities, first and second-year students who are looking to do something. We are taking them through a rigorous training programme and we are putting them out in the field.”

The FCCC CEO says many businesses have welcomed this initiative and they are aware of the need to operate under the COVID-19 safe measures.

Failure to adhere to the measure can result in businesses being shut down.

The Commission will be working with the Ministry of Commerce and Trade together with other authorities in enforcing COVID protocols.