Columbus Phase 2 – workshop in Tonga
Nuku’alofa, 23-27 April 2012
12 Tongan Customs managers and supervisors recently took part in the CCF Japan funded - WCO Strategic Planning Workshop in Nuku’alofa, the Kingdom of Tonga, from 23-27 April 2012.
The opening and closing of the workshop attracted high-level interest. The Tongan Acting Commissioner of Revenue, Ms. Leopola Vaea gave a welcoming address and set her expectations of participants. Mr. Sunia Fili, the Tongan Minister for Finance, National Planning & Revenue Services, attended the closing of the workshop and expressed his gratitude toward the WCO and the group for the work achieved.
Workshop participants produced the first ever Tonga Customs Service Action Plan. Both the Minister and the Acting Commissioner of Revenue acknowledged the plan and emphasised the importance of Customs work in contributing to national well-being, as well as the direct impact Customs has in contributing to the Ministry of Revenue Services Strategic Corporate Plan outcomes.
The five day workshop included topics covering team building, results-based management, risk management and performance measurement. The agenda also included sessions to demonstrate WCO tools and services such as CLiKC, CEN and the Project Map database used to manage capacity building initiatives.