New CEO for Revenue and Customs [1]
Thursday, December 22, 2022 - 18:01
Mr. Michael Cokanasiga of Fiji has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer for Ministry of Revenue and Customs for four-years.
The Public Service Commission stated on 21 December this appointment is effective on 9 January 2023.
He holds a Bachelor of Law (2007), a Professional Diploma in Legal Practice (2008) and a Professional Diploma in Legislative Drafting from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.
Mr. Cokanasiga who lives at Tu'atakilangi was first employed by the Transparency International and the Colonial Fiji Group of Companies in Fiji as a Legal Officer prior employed by BSP/Colonial Fiji Group of Companies as the Solicitor in September 2009 to December 2010.
In 2011, he started his career in Tonga’s Public Service as a Senior Revenue Officer under the Technical Services Division in the Ministry of Revenue and Customs. Since then, he has taken over senior positions within the Ministry.
He then resigned and took up a new role at the National Reserve Bank in May this year.
When employed in the Ministry of Revenue and Customs, he was an active participant in numerous modernization, reform and enforcement initiatives of the Ministry.
He led Tonga’s Customs legislative reform team, the development of the Authorized Economic Operator policy for Tonga Customs, and legislative reform and the development of guidelines for the Ministry’s Electronic Sales Register System project, among others.
In addition, he was Tonga’s representative to the Legal Verification Working Group of the PACER Plus text and its related arrangements and most recently, worked with the Oceania Customs Organisation on the development of Customs legislation of four of its member countries.
The Finance Minister Hon. Tiofilusi Tiueti and his family were present at the contract signing.