The Public Service Commission has publicly reprimanded the permanent secretary for Fisheries and Forestry, Atelaite Rokosuka, after a disciplinary tribunal found she committed serious misconduct in the execution of a government agreement.
Ms Rokosuka, who had been suspended without pay since October 2024, will also forfeit more than a year’s salary before returning to work next week.
She was suspended without pay after her ministry signed a $122 million “power purchase agreement” with Infinite Power Clean Energy (Fiji) Pte Ltd, a company promoting wind turbines .
In a statement issued yesterday, the PSC said the Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal found Ms Rokosuka failed to properly discharge her duties when she ignored legal advice from the Solicitor-General’s Office before entering into the agreement with Infinite Power on behalf of the Fiji Government.
The tribunal found Ms Rokosuka did not consult relevant ministries and departments, nor follow required due process, despite being advised to do so.
It found that Ms Rokosuka breached Government procurement regulations and failed to comply with procurement laws and procedures in the execution of the agreement.
In a ruling last week on the sanctions against Ms Rokosuka, the tribuinal said it had decided against her termination. This was because Ms Rokosuka had no previous disciplinary record in the public service and the tribunal was “mindful of the principles of proportionality”.
The PSC statement stated Ms Rokosuka’s conduct fell “well below the standards of integrity, accountability and professionalism” expected of a permanent secretary and senior public service leader.
“This misconduct has undermined public confidence in the public service and brought the office of the permanent secretary into disrepute,” the commission said.
As part of the disciplinary action ordered by the tribunal, the public reprimand will remain a permanent record on Ms Rokosuka’s employment and disciplinary file with PSC.
In addition, any salary withheld from the time the matter was referred to the tribunal until the date of the decision has been wholly forfeited and will not be paid.
PSC chairman Luke Rokovada said all senior public officials are expected to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards at all times.
