The Ministry of Lands is currently dealing with high staff turnover.

Permanent Secretary Dr. Raijeli Taga highlighted this during the Public Accounts Hearing on the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources 2019–2020 and 2021 Audited Accounts.

She says they provided certain recommendations to the Ministry of Civil Service to address the issue of high staff turnover.

“We experience high turnover for the Ministry but we do get the required people for the position that we advertise but because of salary our officers they seek greener pastures elsewhere.”

Taga says they have taken steps to address the issue of wages as well.

“So we have made some recommendations to Civil Service on how we can retain our officers, one is increase in salary band and also to provide technical facilities that will help them in their work, that is what we have recommended and we have got the assistance from the Civil Service and their advice on how we can achieve that.”

Taga says they are also reintroducing skills training for technical staff.

She adds that they are also seeking assistance from the Higher Education Commission of Fiji to regularize some of the technical training that can be conducted in-house.