SUVA — Nineteen senior Fijian government officials on Nov 17 departed for China, where they will receive leadership training as part of the Fijian government’s efforts to promote civil servants’ abilities in the South Pacific island country.

This is the fourth batch of senior Fijian civil servants to participate in the leadership training program provided by China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong (CELAP). Aside from the 19 officials, 65 senior Fijian civil servants have undergone the training, statistics show.

At the pre-departure orientation course held last week, Parmesh Chand, permanent secretary of Fiji’s Public Service Commission expressed his sincere gratitude to China for making this initiative a reality and a very successful one for those in Fiji’s public service.

“This continued partnership and the contribution by the People’ s Republic of China to the capacity development of senior public servants has shown signs of improvement as our officers foster new ideas and ways of thinking among their peers,” Chand said.

The Public Service Commission has organized seminars to provide returning CELAP participants with an opportunity to share their experience and disseminate the information acquired with officials in Fiji.

Chand said this information sharing was one of the most integral parts of this initiative: building capacity not only for those who had the opportunity to witness firsthand the prosperity and development taking place in China but also using that to inspire them to enable productivity within their own agencies.

Led by Luke Moroivalu, Acting Commissioner of Fiji’s Western Division, the latest batch of officials will return early next month after attending the two-week training program, according to Fiji’s Department of Information.

In line with the Fijian government’s plan, within a six or seven-year timeframe, a total of 300 officials from the government and statutory bodies will travel to China to receive leadership training. The first batch of Fijian civil servants completed the leadership training in September 2013.

Officially opened in March, 2005, China Executive Leadership Academy Pudong is a Shanghai-based national institution funded by the central government of China and supervised by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee. The training it provides is for senior leaders from government and top executives from the business community.