Luke Rokovada, chairperson of the Public Service Commission, has announced the appointment of Raijeli Taga as the acting Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister. Taga succeeds Pita Wise, who stepped down last week for personal reasons.
Mr. Rokovada confirmed the appointment following a meeting with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at Government Buildings in Suva. He noted that Dr. Taga is currently transitioning with the new Permanent Secretary of Lands, Paula Cirikiyasawa, for two weeks before assuming her responsibilities at the Office of the Prime Minister.
During this interim period, Parmesh Chand, the Permanent Secretary for Civil Service, will act in the role. Dr. Taga is an alumnus of Dudley High School and the University of the South Pacific. She 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, Dr. Taga was honored as the University of Queensland International Alumnus of the Year for her impactful contributions to Pacific Island development, sustainability, gender equality, and environmental health, as well as her work with Indigenous communities.
She has served as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources since June 2020, marking 31 years within the Ministry. Hailing from Beqa, Dr. Taga has been recognized for her leadership, particularly in reforming the Fiji Employment Relations Act to eliminate Section 88, which banned the employment of women in underground mining. This significant legislative change, which occurred on International Women’s Day, is seen as a landmark achievement for women in the workforce. For her efforts, she received the Women in Business ‘Executive Woman of the Year Award’ in the Public Sector in 2018.