Dr. Raijeli Taga has been appointed as the Acting Permanent Secretary to the Office of the Prime Minister, as confirmed by Luke Rokovada, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission. Dr. Taga, currently the outgoing Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, is in the process of handing over responsibilities to the newly appointed Permanent Secretary for Lands, Paula Cirikiyasawa. Meanwhile, Parmesh Chand, the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, is temporarily serving as the acting PS for the Office of the Prime Minister.
Rokovada stated that Dr. Taga is expected to officially take up her new role in two weeks. This change comes after Pita Wise, the previous holder of the office, resigned last week for personal reasons. The Prime Minister noted that he had received a complaint against Wise, which he forwarded to the Ministry of Civil Service. He mentioned that it is up to the complainant to take the matter to the Police, as his obligation was only to relay the information to the Ministry.
When asked why the Public Service Commission is not pursuing the matter with the Police, Rokovada reiterated that it is the complainant’s responsibility to do so, emphasizing that it is a personal decision for the individual involved.