The Prime Minister and Army Commander, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has called on the members of the security forces to take action if they find out information about bus drivers overcharging school children.
Commodore Bainimarama said he is aware of reports of some bus companies and parents trying to make use of the Free School Bus Fare Program for personal gain.
While addressing the troops in a military parade at QEB, Bainimarama said some companies have put up the bus fare from 30 to 40 cents without any approval after the program started.
He said some parents are also telling their children to lie about the bus fare they should get.
Commodore Bainimarama said this is unacceptable as parents are teaching their children lies.
He gave a message to the soldiers that as members of the security forces, they should act if they find out that a driver is overcharging the children.
The Army Commander said the soldiers should find out and bring the bus driver concerned and ask him where they got the power from to increase the bus fare.
He said the abuse of the Free School Bus Fare Program has to stop.
Meanwhile Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has also called on the soldiers going the peacekeeping missions to the Middle East to fly the Fiji flag high when they are on their tour of duty.
He said all the soldiers should follow the law and ensure that reasons are not given to Australia and New Zealand to pressure the United Nations to remove Fiji from the peacekeeping missions.
Commodore Bainimarama said many soldiers who have returned from the peacekeeping missions had to be removed from the force as they broke certain laws while serving in the Middle East.
He has called on the soldiers to ensure that these incidents are not repeated in the future.
Commodore Bainimarama also called on the soldiers to cut down their grog drinking, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Bainimarama said in the past few months, a number of soldiers have died. He said many of those who have died were heavily drinking alcohol and grog.
He also called on the soldiers to think of the lives of their wives and ensure that they are going for regular checkups for diseases such as cancer.
Soldiers urged to fly Fiji flag high
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