[Source: Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport/Facebook]

More than five businesses have been ordered to close by the Minister for Commerce and Trade for operating without a permit.

Apart from this 48 businesses have also been issued public health infringement notices for not following the COVID-safe rules and protocols.

Out of the 48 fixed COVID penalties, 32 are business-related.

Speaking during the MSME Policy Dialogue, Minister Faiyaz Koya expressed disappointment that some businesses continue to show sheer negligence and are not complying with the COVID-safe measures.

Koya says their COVID safe ambassadors have monitored around 6, 000 businesses for compliance around the country.

He says it is disappointing to see that some businesses are not showing any commitment.

Koya adds 3, 720 high-risk businesses have been found not to be using Vax Check Tools, 2, 460 have not been taking temperature checks while around 2, 100 did not sanitize their customers.

Koya says to curb this trend and ensure that those businesses that are complying with the protocols are not disadvantaged, the COVID safe ambassadors have moved from awareness and guidance to enforcement.

He stresses that penalties have been enforced to eliminate the possibility of COVID-19 transmissions within the community.

He says that is why businesses are strongly encouraged to continue to improve and maintain adherence to COVID-safe measures.

In addition to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Ministry of Health, Fiji Police Force and Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission, the Land Transport Authority of Fiji and Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji are authorized enforcement officers or CSAs.