Luke Rokovada, the chairperson of the Public Service Commission, has announced the appointment of Raijeli Taga as the new acting Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister. Taga takes over from Pita Wise, who resigned voluntarily last week for personal reasons.
Rokovada confirmed the appointment following a meeting with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at Government Buildings in Suva yesterday. He noted that Dr. Taga is currently transitioning with the new PS Lands, Paula Cirikiyasawa, for a period of two weeks, after which Taga will officially begin her role at the Office of the Prime Minister. In the interim, Parmesh Chand, the PS for Civil Service, will act in the position for two weeks.
Raijeli Taga, who attended Dudley High School and is an alumnus of the University of the South Pacific, earned her Master of Philosophy in Medical Science from the University of Queensland in Australia in 2010 and her Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering in 2016. In 2023, she received the title of International Alumnus of the Year from the University of Queensland, an honor awarded for exceptional contributions to Pacific Island development, sustainability, gender equality, environmental health, and work with Indigenous communities.
Taga has been serving as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources since June 2020 and has dedicated 31 years to the Ministry. She hails from Beqa.
Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Vosarogo, praised Taga’s achievements, highlighting her role as a source of inspiration for young girls in villages. He emphasized that achieving a doctorate in a traditionally male-dominated field reflects her exceptional abilities. Taga was instrumental in reforming the Fiji Employment Relations Act to eliminate Section 88, which barred women from working in underground mines. This significant change was enacted on International Women’s Day, marking a milestone for women’s rights, and Taga was honored with the Women in Business ‘Executive Woman of the Year Award’ for the Public Sector in 2018.