Pacific Islands Tax Administrators Association Annual Heads Meeting – 11th To 13th September, 2018

On Thursday 13th September 2018, the Pacific Islands Tax Administrators (PITAA) Annual Heads Meeting which was held at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi concluded.

The meeting was attended by twelve of the sixteen members of the Association, namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The meeting was also attended by regional and international observers such as the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre, the Delegation of the European Union in the Pacific, International Monetary Fund, INSPUR, New Zealand Inland Revenue, the Australian High Commission, Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Data Torque, Oceania Customs Organization and New Zealand Customs Service.

The theme of the meeting was “Sustaining the Pacific through Effective Revenue Mobilisation” and presentations and discussion covered three topics such as Strengthening Core Tax Functions in Tax Administrations, Improved Tax Strategies to Increase Revenue and Strengthening Tax Administrations through transparent International Tax initiatives to promote accountability of Government and Tax Administrations.

One of the key outcomes from the meeting was an agreement in principle by the members of the association to establish a multi-lateral approach for exchange of information amongst PITAA members.

The meeting also resolved that the association sign a memorandum of understanding to join the Network of Tax Organizations (NTO). The NTO is a global network of regional and international organizations of revenue administrations created to provide a forum for

co-operation and co-ordination between member organizations and to strengthen institutional capacities and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of tax administrations worldwide.

In recognition of its hosting of the meeting, the CEO of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service was presented with an appreciation plaque.

The next annual heads meeting will be held in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in 2019.