A survey has revealed that Suva and Nadi had the highest number of enterprises that were no longer operating or were in partial operations as a result of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF) chief executive officer Kameli Batiweti today released the details of the survey that was conducted in April to gauge the severity of the impact on businesses.
Mr Batiweti said the COVID-19 emergency had turned from a health crisis into a severe economic disruption with serious consequences for the labour markets, economies and enterprises including global supply chains, leading to widespread business disruptions and in Fiji’s case, the severely impacted are the MSMEs and the hardest hit sectors so far.
The results of the survey shows 14.93 per cent of the 67 members who participated have stopped operating due to COVID-19, 29 per cent of enterprises are partially operating while 43.28 per cent are in full operations.
Mr Batiweti said the impact survey was conducted in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation to receive the comprehensive insight into how FCEF members are coping or not coping or have re-strategized or diversified production or services during this COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey was carried out by FCEF with ILO’s Bureau of Employers for a week from April 23 to April 30, 2020.
The survey questionnaire and tool were developed in collaboration with the ILO’s Bureau of Employers Activities as part of a globally coordinated study by the private sector in 34 countries.
