Public Service Commission

A statement by the Office of the Press Secretariat said Cabinet made the decision on Wednesday.

During the selection process, nine candidates were interviewed for the position.

Tikeri graduated with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in 2021 from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management, Economics and Public Administration from the University of the South Pacific.

Tikeri started his career at the Public Service Commission and worked therein for four years.

However, essential workers like the police, fire and emergency and Ministry of Health staff worked during that period.

In the newly approved changes by Cabinet, civil servants received paid leave  

Over the two-week holiday, Apia city was quiet until civil servants returned to work on 10 January.

The city and bus terminals bustled with life.

The initiative attracted mixed reactions from the public.

The retirement package is being refined for Cabinet to examine.

The Public Service Commission confirmed there is no mandatory retirement age in Public Service legislation or policy at present. 

Nor is there an age at which a public servant can opt to take voluntary retirement. Cook Islanders can begin collecting the old age pension at 60.

Cabinet is also going to be told public sector employee level is reaching the same critical number as in 1996 and hard decisions will need to be made to rein back the current government growth rate.