Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has defended the government’s decision to cease overtime payments for some medical workers, saying it’s based purely on manpower levels and budget constraints.
This follows an internal circular from the Ministry of Health stating that workers from eight units will no longer qualify for overtime.
The Ministry had said these workers have been receiving overtime since November last year but with the recent recruitment of 2024 Allied Health graduates and more qualified practitioners, staffing levels have now improved.
Prime Minister Rabuka confirms the directive came from the Ministry of Civil Service, which falls under his portfolio.
“When word was received that the workload was now matching manpower levels, we felt it was time to stop bringing staff back after hours. With the new training and added staff, the numbers have caught up.”
He also stressed that the move isn’t targeting anyone but reflects the evolving staffing situation.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
