The Suva Retailers Association (SRA) has encouraged its members not to be complacent and to maintain all necessary COVID-safe protocols and guidelines in their places of business to keep staff and customers safe.
Association president Jitesh Patel said they welcomed the recent announcement by the Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on the further relaxation of the COVID-safe protocols and complete removal of the curfew hours.
However Mr Patel stressed that they still had a responsibility to the community and themselves and although the restrictions were relaxed, they must all do their part in trying to stay safe and encourage others to do the same.
“COVID-19 is part of our lives now and therefore activities like sanitising regularly, washing hands with soap and water, and wearing masks when in crowds should also be normal forms of behaviour,” said Mr Patel.
In a media statement issued yesterday Mr Patel said the association believed that this relaxation of the protocols would translate to more shoppers, more shopping hours and more business for operators.
“The SRA congratulates the Fijian Government for all the work and commitment in enforcing the protocols and lockdowns early in 2020, regulating the protocols over the two years and now in taking this very bold and courageous step in opening borders and relaxing restrictions,” said Mr Patel.
He said the SRA executives and members had been working alongside the Ministry of Health & Medical Services, the Fiji Police Force, and the Suva City Council to ensure that their places of operations adhered to the safe protocols over the last two years and while this announcement was a relief, the association advised members to remain cautious and continue to always enforce the protocols.
