The government has tabled the Higher Salaries Commission (Amendment) Bill 2026 in Parliament, seeking to bring eight more state-owned and government-controlled entities under the remit of the Higher Salaries Commission (HSC). Minister for Public Enterprise Charan Jeath Singh presented the bill on Wednesday, saying the move will strengthen transparency and consistency in determining remuneration for chief executive officers and equivalent executive roles across the public sector. Parliament is scheduled to debate and vote on the bill on Friday.
Under the proposed amendment, the HSC’s Schedule One would be expanded from the 27 organisations currently listed in the Higher Salaries Commission Act 2023 to include Assets Fiji Pte Limited, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC), Fiji Investment Corporation Limited, the Fiji Roads Authority, Investment Fiji, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, Oceania Shipbuilding and Engineering Pte Limited, and the Public Rental Board. If passed, the list would rise to 35 entities subject to the commission’s oversight.
Presenting the bill, Singh argued the additional coverage reflects the central economic and social roles these organisations play. “These entities contribute significantly to Fiji’s economic development through infrastructure management, regulatory oversight, investment promotion, maritime safety, industrial capability and the provision of affordable housing,” he told MPs, adding that bringing them under the HSC will ensure executive pay is set through “a transparent and accountable framework.” The minister also said the organisations support priorities such as strengthening institutional governance, improving service delivery and promoting sustainable economic growth, while protecting consumers and safeguarding public infrastructure.
This parliamentary move follows earlier executive decisions to tighten pay oversight. Cabinet signalled its support for similar amendments in early January, approving changes to Schedule One of the HSC Act that would subject eight government-controlled entities to the commission’s determinations on chief executive remuneration. The bill’s introduction to the House now advances that policy into the formal legislative process and puts MPs in a position to approve or reject the change within days.
Supporters of the amendment say centralising remuneration decisions with the HSC can curb inconsistencies and public concern over outsized executive packages within government-linked entities, while reinforcing governance standards. Entities like the Fiji Roads Authority and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji oversee critical infrastructure and regulatory regimes, and proponents argue that transparent, comparable pay-setting will bolster public confidence in how these organisations are run. Opponents, if any emerge during debate, may question impacts on recruitment and retention or seek exemptions for specialised roles—issues that could surface during Friday’s deliberations.
If Parliament passes the bill, the changes would take effect through an amendment to Schedule One of the Higher Salaries Commission Act, formally placing CEO-level appointments at the listed bodies within the commission’s pay-setting framework. The immediate next step is the scheduled debate and vote; the outcome will determine whether the government’s drive to centralise executive remuneration across more of Fiji’s public sector receives parliamentary endorsement.
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