The Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association (PITAA), in collaboration with the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC), officially launched its Regional Workshop on Taxpayer Services yesterday at the Tanoa Plaza Hotel in Suva, Fiji. The week-long workshop, taking place from 2nd – 6th June 2025, has brought together 25 participants from 15 Pacific Island countries to explore strategies that enhance voluntary tax compliance and improve service delivery to taxpayers.
The opening ceremony featured remarks from Mr. Samir Jahjah, Director of PFTAC and Chief Guest of the event. In his speech, Mr. Jahjah highlighted the vital shift in tax administration from enforcement to service-oriented practices.
“Taxpayer services play a pivotal role in supporting voluntary compliance,” he said. “Effective communication, digital tools, and a deeper understanding of taxpayer needs can minimize the reliance on enforcement measures,” he added.
He also acknowledged the partnership between PFTAC and PITAA, praising the generous support from development partners including Australia, Japan, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the Asian Development Bank.
Mr. Petero Maivucevuce, newly appointed Head of the Secretariat at PITAA, welcomed participants and reaffirmed PITAA’s commitment to building regional capacity-building initiatives.
“Capacity building is at the heart of PITAA’s strategic priorities. Our work focuses on driving domestic revenue mobilization, developing the regional knowledge base, promoting good practice tools, and, crucially, fostering partnerships with organizations such as PFTAC. Through joint initiatives, like this workshop, and recent collaborations on tax audit and taxpayer registration, we have seen firsthand the benefits of shared expertise and coordinated action,” he stated.
The opening ceremony featured remarks from Mr. Samir Jahjah, Director of PFTAC and Chief Guest of the event. In his speech, Mr. Jahjah highlighted the vital shift in tax administration from enforcement to service-oriented practices.
“Taxpayer services play a pivotal role in supporting voluntary compliance,” he said. “Effective communication, digital tools, and a deeper understanding of taxpayer needs can minimize the reliance on enforcement measures,” he added.
He also acknowledged the partnership between PFTAC and PITAA, praising the generous support from development partners including Australia, Japan, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the Asian Development Bank.
Mr. Petero Maivucevuce, newly appointed Head of Secretariat at PITAA, welcomed participants and reaffirmed PITAA’s commitment to building regional capacity building initiatives.
“Capacity building is at the heart of PITAA’s strategic priorities. Our workplan focuses on driving domestic revenue mobilization, developing the regional knowledge base, promoting good practice tools, and, crucially, fostering partnerships with organizations such as PFTAC. Through joint initiatives, like this workshop, and recent collaborations on tax audit and taxpayer registration, we have seen firsthand the benefits of shared expertise and coordinated action,” he stated.
The workshop is facilitated by short term PFTAC/IMF experts Raelene Vivian and Katrina Williams, and focuses on five key objectives:
- Enhancing voluntary compliance
- Improving communication between tax administrations and taxpayers
- Leveraging technology to streamline services
- Understanding taxpayer needs and expectations
- Developing action plans for service improvements in participating countries
Over the five days, participants will engage in interactive sessions that cover policy design, digital transformation, taxpayer segmentation, complaint management, and strategic planning, utilizing maturity models and roadmaps. The workshop also features guest speakers and the sharing of country-specific plans to improve taxpayer services.