The Inland Revenue is still without a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner as government continues to look for an experienced and qualified person to fill the posts.
Minister for Finance and Treasury, Snyder Rini, told Parliament that the posts have been advertised twice but applications received were considered unsuitable.He said the government is looking for suitable candidates to take up the responsibilities as soon as possible.
With regards to the deputy's position, a long standing arrangement is in place with New Zealand Inland Revenue to provide a person to fill the position. However, the current person is acting as Commissioner through an agreement with the New Zealand Government.
Mr. Rini said senior management succession plan has been put in place to groom a new Assistant Deputy Commissioner because the strong focus of the Division's capacity development plan is on leadership and management development.
The post of the Commissioner is "very important" as the appointee is vested with very important legal powers.
Mr. Rini said most of the staff within the division are junior workers and candidates for such positions must be "mature, a person with a strong mind, a person who should be at par with knowledge of outside firms."
"This person must be a very strong person with very good leadership and also management capability plan," the Finance Minister said.
He told Parliament that despite the current "freeze on recruitment", the Ministry of Public Service understands that all essential posts will continue to be advertised.
"It is just the ordinary administrative posts that are suspended," Mr. Rini explained.
The Finance Minister adds that the Government is currently negotiating with the New Zealand Government to put in a substantive Commissioner, and that substantive Commissioner to train the whole staff within the Ministry.
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