18th June, 2020 The Public Service Commission is pleased to announce the successful re-appointment of Dr. Tu’ikolongahau Halafihi, of Makave, Vava’u and Ha’ateiho Tongatapu as the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Fisheries with effect from, 18 June, 2020 for a period of four (4) years.
As Chief Executive Officer for Fisheries, Dr Halafihi has the responsibility of implementing government policies and decisions, managing the administrative, operational and broader functions and activities of the Ministry. He will be responsible for developing and leading programs to continually improve the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery outcomes of the Ministry.
Dr Halafihi holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology (2015) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He has also successfully completed a Master of Science in Chemistry (2008), Postgraduate Diploma in Chemistry (2002) and a Bachelor of Science (1995) – all from the University of the South Pacific, Fiji.
His career began in the public service on 11 July 1995 as an Assistant Teacher (Graduate) in the then Ministry of Education. He was later promoted to the position of Senior Lecturer in the same Ministry in 2000. Dr Halafihi was laterally transferred to the position of Senior Fisheries Officer in the Ministry of Fisheries in 2005. Since then, he has taken over senior positions within the Ministry including Manager of the Tu’imatamoana Fish Market, Principal Fisheries Officer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Acting CEO for Fisheries. Dr Halafihi was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Fisheries on 17 June, 2016 where he continued to serve until the end of his contract on 17 June, 2020.
The Public Service Commission congratulates Dr Halafihi on his re-appointment as CEO for the Ministry of Fisheries and looks forward to his continued contributions to the Government of Tonga.
ENDS
Issued by the: Office of Public Service Commission