Shania Shayal Prasad 
Twenty-two civil servants across six ministries have been suspended with pay so far this year.
Since 2023, a total of 47 suspensions have been recorded across thirteen government ministries.
Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Service Sitiveni Rabuka confirmed in a written response to Parliament following a question from Opposition MP Premila Kumar.
Rabuka says eight civil servants across five ministries were suspended in 2023, 17 across eight ministries last year and 22 across six ministries this year.
The total cost to government for salaries and benefits during these suspensions amounted to $153,227.58 in 2023, $428,092.84 last year and $429,841.63 this year.
He explains that under Civil Service Discipline guidelines, a Permanent Secretary may suspend an officer at any stage of the disciplinary process if their presence could compromise workplace safety, hinder investigations or affect the integrity of ministry information or services.
Officers remain on full pay during investigations but pay stops once the case is referred to the Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal.
Not all suspensions result in termination, Rabuka notes, as some officers receive warnings or are reinstated after investigations.
The Public Service Disciplinary Tribunal decides the outcome based on investigation findings, balancing accountability with due process.
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