Public Service Commission chairperson Luke Rokovada has announced the appointment of Raijeli Taga as the new acting Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister. Taga takes over from Pita Wise, who resigned last week for personal reasons.
Mr. Rokovada confirmed the appointment following a meeting with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at Government Buildings in Suva. He stated that Dr. Taga will transition with new Permanent Secretary for Lands, Paula Cirikiyasawa, for two weeks before starting her role at the Office of the Prime Minister.
During this interim period, Parmesh Chand, the PS for Civil Service, will act in the position. Dr. Taga, a Dudley High School graduate and University of the South Pacific alumnus, earned her Master of Philosophy in Medical Science from the University of Queensland in 2010 and her Doctor of Philosophy in Mining Engineering in 2016. In 2023, she was recognized as the University of Queensland International Alumnus of the Year for her significant contributions to Pacific Island development, sustainability, gender equality, environmental health, and work with Indigenous communities.
Dr. Taga was appointed as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources in June 2020 and has dedicated 31 years to the ministry, hailing from Beqa. Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo praised her contributions, noting that her achievements serve as an inspiration for young girls in the village. He highlighted her success in earning a doctorate in a traditionally male-dominated field and her pivotal role in reforming the Fiji Employment Relations Act to allow women to work in underground mines, a landmark achievement that was celebrated on International Women’s Day. In recognition of her work, she received the Women in Business ‘Executive Woman of the Year Award’ for the Public Sector in 2018.