Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

The government has indicated that it will work with the Fiji National Provident Fund to assist those in need of financial support if dire situations arise due to COVID-19.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says they are looking at two categories of assistance, those who will not have jobs and those laid off temporarily.

“One of cause are those people who are in the employed in the confined area and if those businesses they working they no longer can go to work, that’s one category of people, the other category of people are those in the tourism sector, it’s not just hotel but tour operators etc.”

Sayed-Khaiyum says relief from the FNPF will depend on the situation on the ground.

“If you are from the confined area, for example, the confinement period ends and is lifted then that’s a different scenario those people can go back to work but if they can’t go back to work, obviously they still have to stay away from work for a long period of time. How we deal with them is different to perhaps people those people who will be out of work or have one day a week work for a long period of time.”

Meanwhile, the FNPF in a press statement is requesting its members to refrain from crowding its offices as the FUND has not activated any special withdrawal assistance as yet.