SUVA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Fiji launched a nationwide workplace survey on the effects of COVID-19 on Monday, according to a government statement.
Speaking at the launching ceremony here on Monday, Fiji's Employment Minister Parveen Kumar Bala said getting an idea of the actual effects of COVID-19 in workplaces will help employers make informed decisions if a similar crisis arises again.
He said this data and information collection will enable the country to plan for means to overcome some of the short-term effects of the economic downturn.
About 140 enumerators have been trained to conduct the survey that is to begin from Wednesday until June 19 this year.
The minister said the survey will be implemented to ensure a maximum number of participation from the 24, 000 registered employers.
Currently, Fiji has reported a total of 18 confirmed COVID-19 patients, of which, 14 have fully recovered and the four active patients are still in isolation and in stable condition.
The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF), the island nation's central bank, said recently that the Fijian economy is expected to contract more sharply than the -4.3 percent earlier estimated in 2020.
The labor market conditions in Fiji have deteriorated amid COVID-19, and this resulted in the layoffs and reduced hours in line with the halt in tourism activity, lockdowns and the deterioration in economic activity. Enditem
