Jone Navakamocea, the Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, has dismissed reports that he has stepped down, saying he remains in the post amid an escalating leadership dispute in the ministry and will only consider resignation if formally advised by the Prime Minister to the chair of the Public Service Commission (PSC).
“I have not resigned,” Navakamocea told reporters. “Why should I resign? Until PM advises PSC Chair for me to resign, then I will weigh it out and resign.” He said there were outstanding matters that he still needed to resolve with “the minister and his political appointees” and with the Public Service Commission.
Navakamocea’s statement is the latest development in tensions that emerged within the ministry after he made allegations against his minister. He did not elaborate on the precise nature of those allegations in the comments released today, nor did he name the minister involved, but said the issues must be “cleared out” before any final decisions are taken about his future.
By indicating he would only step down if the Prime Minister formally asked the PSC chair to seek his resignation, Navakamocea underscored the role of the PSC in overseeing senior public service appointments and discipline. His remarks suggest he regards any change of his employment status as requiring a formal process involving the PSC rather than a unilateral internal move.
The iTaukei Affairs Ministry is central to the administration of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) matters including customary land administration and cultural affairs, and a leadership dispute at its helm has implications for ongoing programmes and community engagement. Sources say the internal tensions have affected working relations between the permanent secretariat and ministerial office, as well as with political staff attached to the ministry.
Navakamocea did not provide a timeline for resolving the outstanding issues or indicate whether he had taken any formal steps to notify the PSC or the Prime Minister of the situation. With the matter unresolved, attention will turn to whether the Prime Minister makes any formal intervention to the PSC and how the commission chooses to respond. For now, Navakamocea’s unequivocal denial of resignation ends immediate speculation about his departure but signals the dispute is far from settled.
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