The Public Service Commission has put a temporary freeze on the creation of new project and line positions with immediate effect until the Study on the Organizational Review of the Civil Service is completed.

PSC Chairman, Ratu Josefa Serulagilagi said they have taken this stand after a meeting with the Prime Minister and Minister for Public Service, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

This will see the creation of new positions whether project or line positions, filled through the redeployment of existing resources.

This is after receiving a lot of requests from Ministries and Departments without proper analysis of the situation of the ground, with little consideration given on how best delivery of service could be achieved with limited resources.

Serulagilagi added that despite the decrease in the number of PSC staff to 24,885 at the end of April last year, following implementation of compulsory retirement at 55years, the numbers have continued to increase.

Serulagilagi then added that the increase in demand for positions from Ministries, Departments and Agencies have led to the freeze.