Grateful for ICAJ’s solid foundation

ON BEHALF of the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ), I am pleased to extend heartfelt greetings to all our members and other stakeholders as together we observe Chartered Accountants’ Week. I take this opportunity to recognise the hard work of our members throughout the year as many organisations have had to radically adjust their operations and work schedules due to the COVID19 pandemic, while remaining committed to the delivery of quality professional services.

This year, Chartered Accountants’ Week will be celebrated from October 3-8 under the theme, ‘Rising Above the Challenges’. This not only speaks to the pandemic, but also to disruptions caused by factors such as climate change, as well as other external and internal challenges which adversely affect small, open economies like Jamaica. As chartered accountants, we are grateful for the solid foundation on which the ICAJ was established, and we are guided by international standards that allow accountancy professionals in Jamaica to continue providing excellent services to clients even in times of crisis. The ICAJ was established in 1965, based on the visionary leadership of our founding members who recognised that, while the accounting associations of the time had served us well, there was a journey ahead which required a different approach to realising the goals of the profession in Jamaica.

Since then, the accountancy profession has had a seminal impact on Jamaica, from the halls of government to the corridors of academia. The institute’s influence on the integrity and security of our financial systems and the promotion of training at the tertiary and professional levels are among the worthy achievements that we must celebrate.

Going forward, the institute remains resolute in providing its members with ongoing training opportunities to ensure that they remain on the cutting edge of new trends, systems and regulations that will serve to improve the professionalism of our members.

Best wishes for Chartered Accountants’ Week to all our members, and Happy Chartered Accountants’ Day.