Garth Henderson has been appointed the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) – Te Tango Akatere’anga Moni o te Ipukarea for a third consecutive tenure.

Henderson has worked as the Financial Secretary for the past six years, which included his leadership of the Economic Recovery Roadmap in response to Covid-19.

Public Service Commissioner Carl Hunter acknowledged that the role of the Financial Secretary is highly complex in the sense that Henderson is managing six diverse outputs (Economic Planning, Treasury Management, Revenue Management, Cook Islands Statistics Office, Development Coordination and Major Projects Procurement Support). 

At the same time, Henderson has been delegated additional infrastructure oversight for some of the largest and complex capital projects like Te Mato Vai and Mei Te Vai Ki Te Vai undertaken by Government. 

Considering this level of responsibility, Henderson has demonstrated practical productivity to still maintain the level of achievements thus far, Hunter said.
“As far as I am concerned, it takes a special individual in terms of a wealth of experience and understanding of both the machinery of Government and the economy in general to manage the level of responsibilities that Garth has been able to accomplish during his tenure.

“And I believe that the manner in which our economy has weathered the Covid-19 storm both economically and financially is testament to Mr Henderson’s all-round capabilities and fiscal discipline.” 

In recommending him to Cabinet for appointment, Hunter said “there is no question Henderson has honed key leadership skills, knowledge and confidence to lead one of the most important Ministries of Government”.

“He demonstrates sound strategic management acumen and can quickly identify and source knowledge and skills to strengthen the overall effectiveness of Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM),” Hunter said.

“He is confident and comfortable at communicating with all partners and stakeholders and keeps a sharp eye on managing issues that can affect MFEM’s desired outcomes.

“Without question Mr Henderson has earned the trust and respect of the Minister of Finance and Cabinet through the excellent work and initiatives that he’s delivered and as Commissioner, I’m excited to continue working closely with our Financial Secretary over the next three years as he steers the country’s economy towards full recovery.”

Henderson said: “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead MFEM for another three years in one of the most challenging periods of our history. We have built a strong and agile team in MFEM, developed excellent relationships across central agencies, with our private sector and development partners. I believe we have the confidence of our community having been at the forefront of our economic responses and support to TMO on our health responses. Despite the economic challenges we face over the next 5 years as we recover, I am confident that the strong fundamentals we have in place will prevail”.

Henderson has worked in the Public Sector for almost 40 years, beginning with the Cook Islands Police Service in June 1984.