It is with the deepest regret that CATA has to announce the passing of Siva Sivalingam, in January 2012. This sad news only recently reached the CATA Secretariat.
Siva was was one of CATA’s founder members and assisted in drafting CATA’s Constitution in 1977/78. He continued to be a very active and committed member of CATA, and served as a very well liked and respected Chairman of CATA’s Management Committee from 1985 until 1990.
The President of CATA has sent a congratulatory message to the President and people of Ghana following their recent elections.
The Executive Director has extended a very warm welcome to the Isle of Man, which has become CATA's 49th member. The Isle of Man will be represented within the Association by the Income Tax Division of the Isle of Man's Treasury.
The Executive Director has extended a very warm welcome to the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Seychelles, which have just become CATA's newest member countries. They will be represented within the Association by the Rwanda Revenue Authority and the Seychelles Revenue Commission.
CATA's Management Committee has a new Chairman. He is Mr Lloyd Muhara, the Commissioner General of the Malawi Revenue Authority. The CATA Secretariat join with the Management Committee in wishing Mr Muhara every success during his time as Chairman, in the shared confidence that he will provide insightful leadership of our Association.
Mr Muhara succeeds Mr Jones Zimba, also of Malawi, who retired last year. We thank Mr Zimba for his services to CATA and wish him a full and happy retirement.
CATA is pleased to announce that on 5 June 2010, Dato’ Hasmah Abdullah, the Director General & Chief Executive Officer of Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, was awarded the honour Panglima Setia Mahkota, by His Majesty the King. The honour, which was given in recognition of her achievements during more than thirty seven years service, carries the title "Tan Sri". She will consequently now be addressed as Tan Sri Hasmah Abdullah.
Mr Tutu Bakwena will become CATA's new Executive Director on the retirement of Mr Zahir Kaleem later this year. He was the unanimous choice of a special selection and interview panel constituted by the Management Committee following a final interview of shortlisted candidates held in London on Monday 26 April 2010. The interview panel consisted of Mr Sudhamo Lal (President, CATA), Mr Jones Zimba (Chairman, Management Committee), Mr Douglas Rankin (Vice Chairman), Mrs Sabina Walcott-Denny (Member) and Mr Zahir Kaleem.
Mr S. Sivalingam was recently awarded the title of Dato by the Malaysian Government for his outstanding contribution in the field of international taxation and fiscal policy. Mr Sivalingam was a founder member of CATA and Chairman of CATA's Management Committee from 1985 to 1991.
The Executive Director has sent congratulations on behalf of CATA to Professor John Atta Mills, on his recent election as the next President of Ghana. As Ghana's Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Professor Mills served as a member of CATA's Management Committee from 1991 to 1994 and was a very active and well respected supporter of CATA's programmes.