Ruby Zarriga

Ruby Zarriga is a retired civil servant from Papua New Guinea.^[1]

She was born in New Hanover, in the New Ireland Province. She completed a bachelor of arts degree in social work from the University of Papua New Guinea in 1987, and on graduating joined the public service.^[1] She worked in a variety of government agencies covering welfare, community planning and training.^[2] In 2004 she received an Australian Development Scholarship and in 2005 and 2006 she studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. She completed a master's degree in management and returned to Papua New Guinea to the Department of National Planning and Monitoring. She was appointed First Assistant Secretary, Sectoral Planning and Programming Division.^[1]

In September 2011, Zarriga was arrested and charged with conspiracy to defraud the State.^[3] The arrest was in relation to a K10 million grant that was paid by the Department of National Planning to Kokopo businessman, Eremas Wartoto, to set up an airline, at the time that Zarriga was acting secretary.^[4]

Zarriga retired in 2021 after working in the Department of National Planning and Monitoring for 32 years.^[2]

Personal life

Zarriga was married to Reverend Megghen Zarriga, who was shot and killed in 2002. The couple had two daughters together.^[2]