The Lyndhurst Group of Companies says it did not at any time defy the Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ business shut down order for no essential businesses.

The factory employs a woman, who contracted COVID-19, and the company Chief Executive, Rokoseru Nabalarua, says he wants to set the record straight on some of the misconceptions and inaccuracies regarding the role of Lyndhurst Group in the fight to contain the pandemic.

He says the work on the factory floor ceased as directed by the Fijian Government on April 25 and by Monday 26 April, all their employees including factory workers and patient number 113 were directed not to come to work.

Nabalarua says after applying and obtaining official permits from Police and MOH on April 28, less than three percent of employees who are classified as critical workers were at work that week.

These included internal security officers and those who needed to complete urgent administrative and operational matters before a complete shutdown last Thursday.

He says they have been adhering to the mandatory 14-day isolation period at their respective homes ever since.

Nabalarua says there were also inaccuracies reported in one of the daily newspapers yesterday, which stated that a staff member from one factory was fraternizing with a staff of a neighbouring factory.

He says the fact is that their staff member and a staff member of a neighbouring factory share the same home, and work bus.