Out of 136 boards of directors in the country, 30.1% are occupied by women. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made this announcement in Parliament on Monday, noting his role in appointing directors for 23 boards, which include 13 public enterprises, nine statutory bodies, and Fiji Ports Corporation Pte Ltd, all managed by the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
Rabuka emphasized that while the ministry oversees these boards, their responsibilities extend beyond just public enterprises. He mentioned several key initiatives aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of these boards. The ministry provides training for both existing and new directors, with a recent corporate governance workshop held on May 7, 2024, at Holiday Inn, supported by the Public Sector Development Initiative under the Asian Development Bank. Around 100 participants, including board members, executive management, and company secretaries, attended the workshop.
It is crucial to continuously upskill directors to prepare them for Fiji’s dynamic business landscape, Rabuka stated. Additionally, the ministry is conducting proper inductions for newly appointed directors to ensure they fully understand their roles and responsibilities.
Furthermore, Rabuka highlighted that the ministry is reviewing the outdated 2009 Policy on Remuneration and Benefits for directors of government commercial companies and statutory authorities. He noted that significant changes are needed to attract high-quality directors and mentioned the potential for creating a uniform policy applicable to all government boards across different ministries.