Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has defended the Government’s suspension of overtime payments and the introduction of time off in lieu (TOIL), saying public servants should be able to complete their duties within normal working hours and that the country cannot continue to afford routine overtime payouts. His remarks came after the Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) warned the changes would unfairly burden frontline and essential workers.
“It will be given time off in lieu of overtime, which is the same thing. They will not be required to stay back. Because we (government) cannot afford to keep paying people over time,” Mr Rabuka said, acknowledging the financial constraints that drove the move. The Prime Minister framed the policy as a necessary element of broader cost-cutting measures aimed at reining in public spending.
The policy replaces direct overtime payments with accrued TOIL, a shift the Government says will help contain wage-related expenditure while still compensating staff through additional leave. Rabuka insisted the expectation is that normal rostering and workloads will allow employees to complete required tasks within standard hours so TOIL can be taken without harming service delivery.
The FPSA, however, voiced immediate concern. General secretary Judith Kotobalavu warned the change could translate into an immediate loss of income for lower and middle‑income public servants who depend on overtime to top up modest salaries. She also cautioned that heavy workloads and chronic staff shortages — issues already affecting many public services — could make it difficult for workers to actually take accrued time off, effectively nullifying the intended compensation and placing further strain on employees.
The union urged the Government to strike a balanced approach to fiscal recovery, arguing cost‑cutting must not disproportionately affect those at the lower end of the public service. Kotobalavu emphasized the potential human and operational costs if TOIL cannot be realised in practice, warning this could undermine morale and service delivery in critical areas.
The latest comments mark a sharpening of public debate between the Government and the FPSA over how best to manage tight finances without undermining frontline services. With Rabuka publicly endorsing the TOIL policy as fiscally necessary and the union pressing for protections for the most vulnerable workers, the standoff sets up further negotiations on how the policy will be implemented, monitored and mitigated to prevent unintended hardship for staff who already work extended hours.
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