Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Peni Sikivou, has called on staff to fully engage in a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop, stressing that the exercise will define the Ministry’s priorities, performance and impact in the years ahead.
Speaking at the workshop today, Mr Sikivou said the session was “both timely and necessary” as the Ministry plays a central role in shaping Fiji’s national development direction and producing the official statistics that inform government decision-making.
“Today and tomorrow, we are not merely drafting a document,” he said.
“We are defining the institutional blueprint that will guide our Ministry’s priorities, performance, accountability, and impact over the coming years.”
He said a clear, coherent and measurable strategic plan was essential for a Ministry entrusted with coordinating national development frameworks, aligning sectoral strategies and strengthening evidence-based policy through quality statistics.
“With the Bureau of Statistics as an integral arm of the Ministry, our work underpins every major national policy decision,” Mr Sikivou said.
“Reliable data and sound strategic planning are the foundation of credible governance.”
He told participants that a well-developed strategic plan would clarify the Ministry’s mandate, strengthen coordination between divisions, improve service delivery standards and enhance accountability and performance measurement.
“Most importantly, it will ensure that we remain proactive rather than reactive in an increasingly complex policy and economic environment,” he said.
Mr Sikivou emphasised that strategic planning must be a whole-of-Ministry effort, not the responsibility of a single unit.
“This is a collective exercise requiring honest reflection, constructive debate and shared ownership,” he said, urging participants to identify institutional gaps, propose practical solutions and focus on realistic, measurable outcomes.
Over the next two days, discussions are expected to focus on clarifying the Ministry’s vision and mission, defining strategic priorities, strengthening coordination between planning and statistics, improving data governance, and enhancing monitoring, evaluation and reporting frameworks.
He also highlighted the need to consider digital transformation, data modernisation and institutional resilience amid emerging global and regional challenges.
“A strategic plan must not sit on a shelf,” Mr Sikivou said. “It must become a management tool, a performance guide, a reporting framework and a basis for resource allocation.”
“If we get this right, policy coherence improves, data quality improves, government decision-making improves, and public trust improves,” he added.
