TELECOM Fiji Limited is pleading with scrap metal scavengers to stop stealing and damaging public infrastructure.
TFL's regional manager west Henry Kitione said people making a dishonest living by stealing copper wire and damaging infrastructure that caused disruption to businesses and residences should think about the consequences of their actions.
"Stealing is not an honest way to making a living," he said.
"If we are all proud of Fiji and working together to develop this country, then we can't be stealing and destroying our own infrastructure.
"To grow this country we need to look after our public utilities.
"Communication is an important factor in growing the national economy and by damaging it, we are damaging ourselves."
Mr Kitione, representing TFL, was among a group of utilities and service providers that had sought the assistance of Commissioner Western Commander Joeli Cawaki last week after a spate of copper and metal thefts over the past 12 months which ran into millions of dollars in costs and lost revenue.
Commander Cawaki endorsed the recommendation of a Scrap Metal Task Force and ordered the suspension of all scrap metal dealers licences last Thursday.