Region’s Tax Administrators meet in Turks and Caicos Islands

Transforming Tax Administrations in the Age of Digitalization is the focus of the 25^th Biennial General Meeting and Technical Conference of the Caribbean Organisation of Tax Administrators (COTA), being held in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The TCI’s Revenue Department is hosting the 22-26 July 2019 event.

COTA Conferences debate important technical issues of current concern to its membership, which is drawn from Member States and Associate Members of the Caribbean Community. The issues often provide the participants with solutions to emerging taxation matters in the Member Administrations. COTA has a special focus on training and uses the opportunity of the Technical Conference to exchange views and share experiences on innovative measures aimed at improving the revenue generation by Member Administrations.

This 25^th General Assembly and Technical Conference has received participation from the majority of tax administrations in the Caribbean Community as well as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrations (CATA); Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), International Monetary Fund, (IMF), Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), Inter-American Centre for Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the McKinsey Group.

The Opening Session on 22^nd June at the Shore Club, Turks and Caicos, received remarks from several representatives of the Turks and Caicos Government and the COTA President, Mr Edward Gift, Comptroller of the Inland Revenue Department, St Kitts and Nevis.  The announcement of the winners of the COTA Sixth Essay Competition was made by Ms Evelyn Wayne, Director of Economic Policy and Development, CARICOM Secretariat and COTA Executive Secretary.  The presentation of trophies to the winning tax administrations was made by Ms Dorika Talbot, Assistant Revenue Commissioner, Turks and Caicos Islands Revenue Department.

Honourable Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Premier of Turks and Caicos Islands gave the Feature Address to the Conference during which she highlighted the many challenges confronting CARICOM Governments and tax administrations amidst the evolving global taxation regime.  The Premier encouraged tax administrators to share their respective experiences and try to come up with a regional collaborative framework to address these challenges.

The Technical Conference will continue until Friday, 26^th July when COTA Members will elect a new Executive Council during the Administrative Session of the General Assembly.

The Turks and Caicos Islands is an Associate Member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and a participating COTA Member for over two decades.  The Revenue Department has been on COTA Executive Council for at least the last 3 years.  For more information on COTA, visit our webpage at – https://caricom.org/about-caricom/finalwho-we-are/institutions1/caribbean-organisation-of-tax-administrators

Source: CARICOM TODAY