The Government is working to clear 80 outstanding workers’ compensation cases worth about $1million as it prepares to shift future payments to the Accident Compensation Commission Fiji (ACCF) Trust Fund.
Speaking during the recent debate on the Ministry of Employment and Workplace Relations’ 2026-2027 Budget, Opposition MP Premila Kumar questioned the drastic reduction in workers’ compensation funding from $7m in the previous budget to $1m in the new financial year.
Employment Minister Agni Deo Singh said the reduction reflected progress made in settling previous claims, with the ministry continuing to process the remaining cases.
He said between 2024 and 2025, the ministry had facilitated 99 per cent of the $5,999,160 allocated for workers’ compensation.
“This included 67 school accidents and 80 are yet to be paid from March to May 2025, with an estimated cost of $1million,” he said.
“We are still clearing the backlog.”
Mr Singh said some cases were delayed because the ministry was waiting for probate matters and other requirements to be completed before identifying the correct dependants.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel added that the reduced allocation was also linked to the Government’s planned transition to a new workers compensation system under the proposed Work Care Bill.
“The $1million is to cover for the transition period, the enactment of the Work Care Bill by Parliament,” he said.
He said once the legislation was passed, future compensation payments would be managed through the ACCF Trust Fund.
