Ministry of Lands welcomes first female director
The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources welcomes Irena Nayacalevu as the first female to be appointed as Director of Lands.
Her appointment came into effect on July 31, 2020. Prior to her appointment, Ms Nayacalevu was the first female to be appointed as Chief Valuer in 2019. She is from Wainiyabia in Serua but grew up in Lomary where she began her primary school education. She then completed secondary school education at St John’s College in Ovalau in 1985. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Land Management and Development from the University of the South Pacific and began her career in the Civil Service as a secondary school teacher for three years.
She joined the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources in 1995 as a graduate trainee.
She has served the ministry for 25 years before assuming her new role as Director of Lands. Ms Nayacalevu received her certificate as a Registered Valuer in 1999 and was transferred to the Ministry of Land’s Northern office as a Valuer in 2001, where she served until 2004.
In 2005, she was re-posted to the Valuation Division in Suva as a Senior Valuer and later acted as Principal Valuer in 2009 until her appointment as the first female Principal Valuer in 2015. Ms Nayacalevu stressed that her journey was not easy one due to tough competition within the Lands profession including the valuation cadre and a bottleneck structure in management positions.
However, her passion as a Valuer helped her to achieve her goals.
Additionally, her humble beginnings in Lomary and the many difficult situations and challenges she encountered also motivated her to where she is today. She acknowledged the former Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Tevita Boseiwaqa, for supporting her when she unexpectedly fell sick and decided to resign, but with his support and encouragement, Ms Nayacalevu found her passion again and worked even harder. She also thanked her late father and her family for always supporting her.
“I would also like to encourage the youth especially females wanting to take up careers in a usually male dominated field to always have passion for whatever work you choose, and success will come to you,” Ms Nayacalevu said.
“I look forward to this new challenge with much enthusiasm and passion and to continue the good work left behind by my predecessors and hopefully I can leave a mark worth aspiring once my term is complete.”