Report brings relief to tourism

Fijian Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Viliame Gavoka, stated that forensic testing in New Zealand has confirmed that beverages provided to tourists at a Coral Coast resort in December of last year did not contain any harmful substances. This follows an incident where seven tourists at the resort were hospitalized due to suspected poisoning after consuming pineapple-flavored cola.

Minister Gavoka expressed that the forensic test results from both Fiji and New Zealand are a significant relief for the tourism industry. He emphasized that Fijian forensic testing had already indicated the absence of any harmful substances in the beverages, and the samples sent to New Zealand have now yielded the same conclusion, further solidifying the initial findings.

"The Fijian forensic testing already indicated that there were no harmful substances in the beverages," Minister Gavoka said. "Then we sent it to New Zealand, and they also found that there were no harmful substances in the beverages, providing additional reassurance to the public."

Minister Gavoka further pointed out that this outcome dispels concerns and has a positive impact on the tourism sector. He added, "We have clarity now, and it's a huge relief, you know, because what we had before was having a negative impact on tourism. It’s truly reassuring that both the Fijian and New Zealand forensic departments have confirmed the absence of harmful substances, allowing the industry to move forward with confidence."