The Samoa Ministry of Police and Prisons has collected $ST45,000 from breaches of the COVID-19 State of Emergency.
Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil revealed the revenues from the fines when he was discussing the way police were handling COVID-19 orders, introduced in March 2020.
Fuiavailili explained that police have so far collected about $45,000 tālā in fines from breaches of the State of Emergency orders.
Fuiavailili said they are concentrating on enforcing SOE Orders and working out how to combat the spread of the virus if it should hit Samoan shores.
“For the most part, our people are getting used to the restrictions and we have been under a state of emergency for quite some time,” he added.
“We have to do our duties with respect by warning them and so we are adjusting too in trying to respond accordingly.”
Fuiavailili said false and inaccurate reporting in the media has not helped the cause, referring to a report in the Samoa Observer of police allegedly rounding up church goers for breaching SOE restrictions.
“When I saw that, I was very taken aback and mad at my people thinking that they actually did it. I called everyone in and lectured but found out that we never did it,” he said.
The newspaper has apologized for the error and had also reprimanded the reporter responsible.
