ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
Suva: Fiji’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has ordered a freeze on new jobs because it says a drop in staff numbers following last year’s compulsory retirement has been followed by an increase because of new staffing requests from within the civil service.
PSC chairman Josefa Serulagilagi said while staff establishment in the civil service decreased to 24,885 by the end of April 2009, the numbers have since then “continued to increase”.
Mr Serulagilagi did not specify how much numbers had increased by but attributed the increase to “demand for positions from ministries, departments and agencies”.
“Given the role of PSC in controlling staff establishment, it is therefore imperative to impose this temporary freeze,” Mr Serulagilagi said.
He said the creation of all new project and line positions will freeze effective immediately until a study on the organisational review of the civil service is complete.
“The influx of requests from ministries and departments is of concern as requests without proper analysis of the situation of the ground gets put to the commission, there is little consideration given on how best delivery of service could be achieved with limited resources,” he said.
Mr Serulagilagi said there is also a reluctance to change in terms of restricting strategies to fit the limited resources.
The action was taken by the PSC following approval by Fiji’s leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama as minister responsible for the Public Service.
Suva: Fiji’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has ordered a freeze on new jobs because it says a drop in staff numbers following last year’s compulsory retirement has been followed by an increase because of new staffing requests from within the civil service. PSC chairman Josefa Serulagilagi said...
Suva: Fiji’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has ordered a freeze on new jobs because it says a drop in staff numbers following last year’s compulsory retirement has been followed by an increase because of new staffing requests from within the civil service.
PSC chairman Josefa Serulagilagi said while staff establishment in the civil service decreased to 24,885 by the end of April 2009, the numbers have since then “continued to increase”.
Mr Serulagilagi did not specify how much numbers had increased by but attributed the increase to “demand for positions from ministries, departments and agencies”.
“Given the role of PSC in controlling staff establishment, it is therefore imperative to impose this temporary freeze,” Mr Serulagilagi said.
He said the creation of all new project and line positions will freeze effective immediately until a study on the organisational review of the civil service is complete.
“The influx of requests from ministries and departments is of concern as requests without proper analysis of the situation of the ground gets put to the commission, there is little consideration given on how best delivery of service could be achieved with limited resources,” he said.
Mr Serulagilagi said there is also a reluctance to change in terms of restricting strategies to fit the limited resources.
The action was taken by the PSC following approval by Fiji’s leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama as minister responsible for the Public Service.
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