Responsibility for Fiji’s public enterprises has been transferred from Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts Charan Jeath Singh to newly sworn-in Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica as part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle.
Kamikamica was sworn in yesterday as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industries, Commerce, Business Development and Public Enterprises, returning to Cabinet after previously serving in the portfolio.
The change means the Ministry of Public Enterprises is no longer under Charan Jeath Singh, who previously held the position of Minister for Public Enterprises, Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts.
The Ministry of Public Enterprises is responsible for overseeing and implementing government reform programmes for state-owned enterprises while monitoring their performance and operations to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Its work is guided by the Public Enterprises Act 1996 and the Public Enterprises (Amendment) Act 2002.
The ministry oversees a significant portfolio of government commercial companies, including Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Airports Fiji Limited, Fiji Public Trustee Corporation Limited, Food Processors (Fiji) Limited, Post Fiji Limited, Fiji Rice Limited, Unit Trust of Fiji Limited, Viti Corp Corporation Limited, Yaqara Pastoral Company Limited and Fiji Hardwood Corporation Limited.
It also has responsibility for several commercial statutory authorities, including the Fiji Electricity Authority, Fiji Meat Industry Board, Housing Authority, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, Water Authority of Fiji and the Public Rental Board.
In addition, the ministry oversees government’s majority-owned companies, including Fiji Pine Limited, Pacific Fishing Company Limited, Copra Millers Fiji Limited and Air Terminal Services.
The transfer of the portfolio restores responsibility for public enterprises to Kamikamica, who now assumes oversight of a range of key state-owned entities involved in aviation, utilities, agriculture, transport, housing and other strategic sectors of the economy.
