Free Bird Institute Ltd (FBL) says it has received a conditional approval on August 25, 2020, from the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce (CRMT) to allow international students of the institute from Japan to enter Fiji under the Specific Request under Significant Economic Value category of the Fijian COVID Safe Economic Recovery Framework.
The conditions set out in this approval letter that FBL must adhere to, will ensure that these international students are brought in a COVID-safe manner and ensuring that the safety and well-being of all Fijians are protected.
The institute says that the executives and management are presently carrying out its internal COVID-safe plans and measures to ensure all the conditions are met and approved by the relevant authorities before any international students are brought in.
In a market announcement issued via the South Pacific Stock Exchange (SPX), FBL chief operating officer Mereseini Baleilevuka said they would be liaising with all the relevant stakeholders – internal and external – to the organisation to ensure all parties were on the same page in carrying out the first phase of its business recovery plan and making sure it was done in the safest way possible.
“We envisage to train all our staff that will be involved in this process on the necessary health measures that will be put in place to ensure the safety of everyone including those in our community,” Ms Baleilevuka said.
“Students will also undergo three COVID-19 tests, the first test needs to be done pre-departure, second upon arrival and third at the end of the quarantine period.
“We will also work with our teams in Japan to ensure that all students are made aware of all these requirements prior to departure and what is expected of them during the quarantine period.”
In the market announcement, the company stated that the executive management hoped this approval would give FBL the boost it needed to start getting back on track.
“This will allow some of our employees who have been stood down to return to work and also increase the hours of those that continue to work on reduced hours.
“This opportunity will also provide some form of financial relief to our homestay families that will be housing these students during their stay in Fiji. Over the past four years, FBL has paid out over $5.1 million to over 200 families in Nadi and Lautoka as homestay fees and we hope that we can continue this.”
