[Photo: Supplied]
The suspension of school bus services on the island of Taveuni has triggered enforcement action from the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.
FCCC is investigating whether the decision by the island’s only scheduled bus operator to withdraw services during the examination period breached consumer protection laws.
The FCCC has described the disruption as unacceptable, highlighting the impact on students who rely on the service to get to school.
Chief Executive Officer Senikavika Jiuta has warned that children’s education must not be affected by commercial disputes.
She says where a business is the only provider of an essential service, it carries a greater responsibility to the community it serves.
The Commission has confirmed that if breaches of the FCCC Act are established, further legal action will be taken.
The investigation is separate from the operator’s bus fare review application, which remains under consideration by the FCCC.
The Commission’s immediate focus is ensuring Taveuni students can continue attending school and sitting their examinations without further disruption.
