A REVIEW of civil service working hours has been pushed by Opposition Member Vijay Nath who called out government for not being able to address the ongoing traffic congestion within the Suva and Nausori corridor.
Mr Nath said what commuters were experiencing every morning and evening was no longer a minor inconvenience but a clear failure of planning, coordination and leadership.
“To put this crisis into perspective, it now takes close to two hours to travel a distance of approximately 40 kilometres by road from Nausori to Suva during peak hours,” Mr Nath said in a statement.
“It is the daily reality for workers, parents, students, and essential service providers who arrive at their workplaces already exhausted. Government must urgently review civil service working hours.
“One practical option is adjusting hours to 9am to 5.30pm, while the private sector continues with an 8am start.
“If this is not feasible, school starting times must be reviewed, as school-related traffic significantly contributes to peak-hour congestion. Employees commuting from Nausori should be allowed to start at 9am and finish at 5.30pm, while those based within Suva retain the 8am start.
“Permanent secretaries must be empowered and held accountable to implement internal policies that reflect commuting realities, not convenience at the top.”
He said flexi-hours may be considered but to avoid misuse implementation should begin with senior management only, including work-from-home arrangements to immediately reduce traffic volumes.
Mr Nath also called for increased police presence in key areas and reducing the number of road humps.
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