Message to all our readers residing in Lautoka

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The checkpoint at the border along the Kings Highway. Picture: REPEKA NASIKO

We have been trying unsuccessfully for the past few hours to get The Fiji Times newspaper past the police check point at Lomolomo.

When contacted Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho advised that only essential services were being allowed through at the present time because of the lockdown announced yesterday.

“Newspapers are not an essential service,” he said.

“At the present time, we are dealing with very essential issues like getting oxygen into the Lautoka Hospital, getting coronavirus samples that need to come to Suva for testing and getting food for the people of Lautoka.

“Once things clear up then definitely, we will look at it.

“We have got everybody coming and requesting for things to be done.

“We have to enforce this for the health safety of all the people of Fiji.

“If you are thinking of making money, its not the right attitude to have, everybody is making sacrifices now.”

When asked how another daily managed to have access, Bri-Gen Qiliho said the newspaper had contacted them yesterday and set a time for its papers to go through the checkpoint.

At the present time, and until arrangements are made to get The Fiji Times into Lautoka, we would encourage readers to log onto our online platform to get the latest news and videos on www.fijitimes.com

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