Felix Chaudhary 
Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations Minister Agni Deo Singh says his team is on the ground and looking into an incident at the Wairiki 7s yesterday where people jumped off a ferris wheel after it developed mechanical issues.
He told FBC News that he would provide a progress report once preliminary investigations were completed, and would make more announcements on the issue later today.
Meanwhile, Opposition parliamentarian Virendra Lal issued a statement today, calling for the immediate shut down of all amusement rides, pending a thorough investigation into the Wairiki 7s incident.
Lal said the death of a 21-year-old during Showcase last year, a amusement ride issue in August this year and yesterday’s incident in Wairiki were stark reminders of the dangers posed by outdated and poorly maintained amusement rides.
“As the Shadow Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, I am deeply concerned about the severe lapses in oversight by the Occupational Health and Safety department.
“We need to strengthen the legislation that governs amusement rides, ensuring they are safe and people are not getting hurt or worse.
“The incident on August 1st, where a child’s life was at risk due to a malfunctioning ride, is an incident that really calls for immediate action.
“Our citizens’ safety, more so our children, should not be compromised. It goes without saying that the safety measures in place are inadequate, and the rides are too old to be considered safe.
“It’s about time the authorities took to doing what is right: shutting these rides down until they are proved safe.”
