Sainiani Boila 
Acting Chief Executive Josefa Toganivalu [File Photo]
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the operations and initiatives of the iTaukei Affairs Board, leading to financial and operational challenges.
While presenting the iTaukei Affairs Board Annual Report for 2017-2022, Acting Chief Executive Josefa Toganivalu outlined the detrimental effects of the pandemic on the board’s activities and resources.
According to Toganivalu, the pandemic resulted in an 80 percent reduction in provincial rates and a 20% decrease in income from investments, severely affecting the board’s financial stability.
“The operational disruptions, lockdowns, and movement restrictions forced us to close our offices and limit in-person meetings. We had to adapt by shifting to virtual meetings and training sessions to ensure continuity.”
Toganivalu says many planned initiatives faced postponements or scaling down due to resource constraints and logistical issues.
To mitigate the challenges, the board implemented work-from-home strategies, which helped lower administrative and operational costs.
One significant development during this time was the creation of the iTaukei Institution Group Emergency Response Team, or “tiger teams,” to assist in planning and allocating tasks effectively.
Personnel were assigned according to the needs identified, utilizing available resources.
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