Government of Tonga Public Service Commission

The Public Service Act directs that the Public Service Commission must comprise of three members one of which must be the Chairperson. His Majesty's Cabinet approved the appointment of two member Commissioners to be effective as from 31 March, 2006.

Chairperson - Mrs. Mishka Tu'ifua

Mrs. Mishka Kupu Tu'ifua is currently the full-time chairperson of the Public Service Commission. She assumed her role as Chairperson on 02 June, 2008 after holding the position of General Manager of the Westpac Bank of Tonga since 2003. Whilst with the Westpac Bank of Tonga she was the first woman and a Tongan at that to hold the GM position. Mrs. Tu'ifua has 19 years of professional experience in the Private Sector. Her extensive background is in organisation and change management, business operations and customer relationship management. Mrs. Tu'ifua joined the Westpac Banking Corporation in 1988. She took up a senior management position with overall responsibility for large business operations in Australia before moving to head the Westpac branch here in Tonga.

Commissioner - Mr. Filimone Fifita

Mr. Filimone Fifita is a graduate of the University of Hawaii having attained a BA in Economics. In 1971, Mr. Fifita was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Office as Assistant Secretary. During his tenure as a civil servant, he was appointed as Acting Establishment Officer for a number of years. In 1976 Mr. Fifita joined the University of the South Pacific (USP) and worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Staffing Office before being posted to the School of Social and Economic Development. A year later he was posted to the extension service (distance education) centre of the university to look after students studying via extension from member countries outside of Fiji. In 1979 he was appointed as Director of the USP Centre in Tonga and after 2 years he was recalled back as Secretary for the extension services of the University. In 1986, Mr. Fifita was posted to the Academic Office as Senior Assistant Registrar where he was responsible for Admissions and student academic records. Three years later he was made Deputy Registrar. In 1991, he resigned and emigrated to the United States of America to educate his daughters who were residing there at the time. In 1996 he returned to USP as Provost where he looked after the USP Campus and all student and staff services. In 2008, he was appointed by the Hon. Prime Minister as part-time Commissioner of the Tonga Public Service Commission.