The Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal has directed permanent secretary for Fisheries and Forestry Atelaite Rokosuka to resume work on Friday, December 19.
Presided by chairman Anare Tuilevuka and members Deepika Prakash and Jeremaia Savou, the tribunal delivered this ruling on December 12.
The PSC had raised two allegations of misconduct against Ms Rokosuka.
According to the particulars of the allegations, she had failed to take heed of the legal advice rendered by the Solicitor-General’s office and critically consult the relevant ministries and departments, and follow due process before entering into an agreement with Infinite Power Clean Energy (Fiji) Pte Ltd on behalf of the Fiji Government in November 2023.
She is also alleged to have failed to comply with all applicable Acts and subordinate legislation when she did not adhere to the Procurement Regulation (PR) 2010 and ensure proper due process was followed in the execution of the agreement.
On September 19 this year, the tribunal delivered its unanimous opinion that the ministry had proven both allegations on the balance of probabilities.
In its ruling, the tribunal recommended that the PSC should, in writing, publicly reprimand Ms Rokosuka that her misconduct is denounced.
One of the six factors the tribunal took into account was this was Ms Rokosuka’s first disciplinary case recorded in her 29 years of active service, and there was no loss to the Government.
Further, she has not received remuneration since October 2024.
“Ms Rokosuka has consistently submitted that the agreement in question was not final and that the issue remained to be resolved,” the tribunal stated.
“This, coupled with the fact that the (PSC) has not quantified the actual potential loss to the Government, should weigh strongly in mitigation.”
The tribunal directed that the salary that was withheld from Ms Rokosuka throughout her period of suspension until December 12 be wholly forfeited.
The tribunal further ordered that any salary calculation was to begin from December 15.
