THE Public Service Commission (PSC) has reappointed Shiri Gounder as the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Finance for his second term.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel said Mr Gounder’s reappointment would provide the stability and continuity to the ministry.
Mr Gounder has served as a civil servant for almost two decades, including five years as the permanent secretary for the Finance ministry.
Minister Immanuel said during Mr Gounder’s tenure, he had shown great leadership in steering the nation through the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic economic recovery, supporting various public financial management and socio-economic reforms.
“Given his vast exposure at the Ministry of Finance, he has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in areas like budget formulation and execution, macroeconomic policy, monetary policy, development planning, debt financing, management of government guarantees and fiscal risks, taxation and customs policies, financial reporting, accounting policy advise, internal and external audit management, public procurement and overall public administration,” Mr Immanuel said.
“His involvement as a director on key government boards like the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Fiji National Provident Fund, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, Energy Fiji Limited, Fiji Airways, Unit Trust of Fiji, and USP Council has provided him with a lot of exposure in complex commercial and investment decision making.
“As Fiji’s lead representative dealing with multilateral institutions like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and other major development/donor partners, Mr Gounder has an excellent knowledge on international financial architecture and development finance.”
He said Mr Gounder also had a great reputation among development partners and donors.
Mr Immanuel said the PS was also valued among his staff, peers and stakeholders for his integrity, professionalism, impartiality, strong moral foundations, team spirit and patriotism.
“His problem-solving skills, out of the box thinking, ability to deliver under extreme pressure and firm decision making is commendable and admired by many.”
Mr Gounder is a recipient of the 2024 Civil Service Award for his contribution and leadership in the civil service.
He holds a Masters with High Distinction in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University and a Post Graduate Diploma and Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Economics from the University of the South Pacific.
