pn756 Fiji: Call to activate disaster management and remove VAT as Covid cases show no sign of easing

 

With791 new cases and three deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest daily totals to date, FCOSS (Fiji Council of Social Services) CEO Vani Catanasiga has called upon Government to activate the Disaster Management Committee (DISMAC) and remove VAT (Value Added Tax) from basic food items.

Fiji has 6524 active cases in isolation from this latest outbreak that started in April. 

Ms Catanasiga says, 

Activate DISMAC

"FCOSS believes that activating DISMAC brings the full surge support currently missing from this incident management approach that the Ministry of Health has been utilising since the beginning of the crisis.

"The situation on the ground is getting dire. People isolating at home and are unable to get support from the Health Ministry are now resorting to getting help from community volunteers, including for herbal remedies.

"We've also noted incidents of threats against families whose homes have been cordoned off because a family member is Covid-19 positive.

"FCOSS is urging the government to consider this option with urgency before systems collapse and more people lose their lives to Covid-19."

Fiji has 6524 active cases in isolation from this latest outbreak that started in April.

Remove Value-Added-Tax (VAT) from basic food items

She said this was a key feature of the council's submission to the 2021-2022 National Budget consultation. The budget is expected to be revealed later this month.

Catanasiga said the government must ensure VAT was removed so the hardship faced by communities with food security and hunger could be alleviated.

"This is no longer just a health crisis - this is a humanitarian crisis with far-reaching and long-term impacts on the well-being of Fijian citizens," she said.

Catanasiga said access to food was one of the first challenges identified in the council's People's Livelihood Survey that was undertaken after the first wave of Covid-19 infections and in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Harold in April, 2020.

"The removal of VAT from basic food items, however, needs to be heeded this year as we anticipate that this health crisis will continue into the next few months.

"We've had two protests from communities in lockdown already in the last few weeks - much of it had to do with access to food.

"This should send a clear signal to the government that the removal of VAT from basic food items must be done in this year's budget."

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