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• ACCA Caribbean partnered the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) units in Barbados, Trinidad, Grenada and St Lucia to deliver a series of AML seminars in the region. John Davies, ACCA head of business law, delivered a presentation detailing the international perspective on money laundering activities, supported by a presenter from each local units.
• ACCA Caribbean partnered with the Barbados Stock Exchange to hold an SME Conference in Barbados. Professor Robin Jarvis, ACCA head of small business affairs, and Richard Martin, ACCA head of financial reporting, also held workshops with the local accounting community regarding the proposed IFRS for SMEs. ACCA Caribbean also partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, Business Development Company Ltd, and National Entrepreneurship Development Company Ltd, to hold an SME Conference in Trinidad. The conference was attended by around 150 representatives of the small business community. As a result of the SME Conference, the Ministry of Legal Affairs - Trinidad has asked ACCA to assist it this awareness drive. The Ministry representative had delivered a presentation at the conference on 'Patents and Intellectual Property', which had generated animated discussion.
• ACCA Caribbean delivered a presentation on the Approved Employer accreditation programme to Board members of the Human Resource Management Association of Trinidad & Tobago (HRMATT). HRMATT subsequently helped ACCA raise awareness among its member companies by promoting the scheme via newsletters and networking events.
• ACCA Caribbean and the Public Relations Association of Trinidad and Tobago (PRATT) hosted a seminar on corporate social responsibility. Roger Adams, ACCA executive director - policy, and Esther Le Gendre, former ACCA head of corporate development, gave presentations.
• Technical assistance was provided for the implementation of the training components of a project to improve the application of, and compliance with, IFRS in Trinidad and Tobago, working on behalf of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT) .
• ACCA has also working on a project with the Institue of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) to assist the implementation of IFRS and ISA, and the continuing application of these standards. To do this, ACCA developed explanations and illustrations of IFRS that were consistent with the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) statements; developed implementation guidance notes, best practice and good governance statements that took account of the Jamaican environment; developed and delivered training programmes for accountants and other interested groups in the application of IFRS, ISA and other relevant standards; and developed and implemented a 'train the trainers' programme. ACCA has completed this project, delivered by primary consultant Graham Fairclough. The ICAJ president, Prunella Vassell, and ICAJ project manager, Bevelyn Brodber, have both expressed their satisfaction with the project.
• ACCA also worked on a futher project to build enforcement and compliance capabilities in Jamaica. ACCA conducted a review of existing regulatory arrangements and held focus group meetings and compliance workshops in October. The project is due for completion in early 2008.
• ACCA/ICAC monitoring proposal: Sha Ali Khan, ACCA head of practice monitoring, delivered a presentation to ICAC at the 25th Annual Conference in St Kitts. At a special meeting in December, ICATT members voted for Practice Monitoring in Trinidad.
• Draft Domestic Regulations for the provision of services within the CARICOM Single Market (CSM): ACCA head of policy development met  with the president of ICATT to discuss the Draft Model Professionals Bill, proposed to ensure that there are harmonised regulations governing the registration and licensing of professionals in the services sector. A revised draft is being prepared for another round of consultations in 2008.
• Muir Brown, head of strategic business unit - Americas and Caribbean, and Esther Le Gendre attended the 47th Board of Directors’ Meeting of ICAC held in Trinidad in February.
• ACCA Caribbean embarked on a programme of target marketing in Barbados. An ACCA supplement was published in the local media showcasing the work of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB) and its liaison with ACCA. Prospective students meetings were held with a number of schools, and mass mailings were undertaken to selected companies throughout the country.
• In June, ACCA was the Titanium sponsor of the 25th Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Eastern Caribbean - St Kitts-Nevis Branch (ICAEC) Conference, the premier annual accountancy conference in the region, attended by some 400 delegates. ACCA president Gill Ball delivered a presentation on professionalism and ethics in accountancy.
• ACCA was the Platinum sponsor of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT) week of activities. The ACCA head of policy development spoke at the breakfast meeting on accountability by public interest entities.
• ACCA Caribbean met with the Board and Management - Hogeschool in Holland, Self Reliance Insurance Company. The ACCA Qualification, the process involved and the possibility of accreditation/exemption was explained to the team, which expressed great interest in having the courses at Hogeschool in Holland accredited/exempted by the UK so as to allow students maximum exemptions after pursuing a degree in accounting.
• ACCA Caribbean met with representatives of the Board of Anton de Kom University of Suriname (the discussion focused on the benefits of accreditation/exemption, assessments for exemptions and the process regarding application). It is expected that the university will submit an application form for accreditation/exemption during the first quarter of 2008.
• After a meeting held with the Board of Suriname Association of Accountants, it was agreed to solicit support for employees who wish to pursue the CAT and ACCA programmes.

Members’ achievements:

• Mariano Browne, Minister, Minister of Finance (Trinidad & Tobago)
• Angela Lee Loy became president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean
  

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