THE rapid growth of Fiji’s public service must be matched by measurable improvements in productivity and service delivery if Government is to contain rising operating costs, says Dialogue Fiji executive director Nilesh Lal.
Speaking at the National Budget Forum 2026 in Suva on Wednesday, Mr Lal said the size and cost of the public sector had become a major fiscal issue that deserved objective policy discussion.
“Government now employs approximately 42,000 people, costing around $2.3billion every year in wages and the support services required to sustain the public sector,” he said.
“That equates to approximately $9million every single day simply to keep the machinery of government operating.”
Mr Lal said the public service had expanded significantly in recent years, making it necessary to assess whether taxpayers were receiving better value for money.
“The public service has grown by roughly 4500 employees over the past three years.
“The question we must ask is straightforward – has this expansion translated into better productivity?
“Has service delivery improved? Are infrastructure projects being delivered more efficiently? Are approval processes faster? Has the quality of public services improved proportionately?”
He stressed that the questions were not intended as an attack on the public service but were necessary to inform better policymaking.
“These are not criticisms … they are legitimate policy questions.”
He warned that without addressing both the size and efficiency of the public sector, controlling Government’s recurrent expenditure would remain a significant challenge.
“The challenge before us is therefore not simply reducing expenditure. It is improving productivity.
“It is ensuring that every dollar spent by Government delivers measurable value to the people of Fiji.”
