The Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) formally welcomed the Suriname Association of Accountants (SUVA) as its first Associate Member on Thursday, June 24, 2010 during the ICAC’s 57 the Board of Directors meeting. The Board Meeting was held at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort, Bahamas in conjunction with the ICAC’s Annual Caribbean Conference under the theme, “Responding to change – Reshaping the Accounting Profession in the Caribbean.” A delegation of approximately 11 members of the Suriname Association of Accountants led by its Chairman, Rudie Tjong A. Hung, attended the annual conference.
“The ICAC is very pleased to welcome the Suriname Association of Accountants, a relatively new accountancy association, into its membership. As part of our strategic mandate, the ICAC has been seeking to expand its reach to bring potential bodies in the region that are in an embryonic stage of development under its umbrella and to assist in their development while allowing them access to the benefits of membership. This is also in keeping with our mandate as an acknowledged regional grouping of IFAC,” states Harryram Parmesar, ICAC President.
“ICAC looks forward to working with the Suriname Association over the next three years to further develop its framework and governance structure towards qualifying for full membership within the ICAC. During this time, the Association will also benefit from the collective experience of other ICAC member bodies and affiliates,” Mr. Parmesar added.
SUVA’s Chairman, Mr. Tjong A. Hung, who will serve as Associate Director on the ICAC Board for the period 2010 -2011 states that Suriname is part of the CARICOM and as such SUVA felt it was necessary to become associated with the ICAC. Suriname currently has 30 certified accountants, but has an estimated need of 300 more qualified accounting professionals, he added.
To this end, SUVA in co-operation with the Suriname College of Accountancy, ACCA and NOvAA (the Dutch Accountancy body) has already taken steps to meet the international educational standard by adopting the post bachelors ACCA and NOvAA professional qualifications for Suriname, Mr. Tjong A. Hung stated. SUVA was established on October 26, 2007 by accounting professionals in Suriname, who saw the need to structure and organize the accounting profession in that country. The Association recently concluded an agreement with the Dutch accountancy body and the IDB to provide technical support for the institutional strengthening of the Association.
The project is also aimed at improving the educational standards of chartered accountants in Suriname. One of the project activities involves enhancing awareness of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Suriname by organizing seminars, workshops and training sessions, particularly, for small and medium-sized entities.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) is the internationally recognized umbrella body for the accountancy profession in the Caribbean, with seven member institutes and a network of approximately 3,500 accountancy professionals. The ICAC is dedicated to advancing the interest of accountants within the Caribbean region through the promotion of internationally acceptable standards and best practices, thought leadership, research and continuing professional development.
Membership within the ICAC is open to national accounting bodies within or in close proximity to the Caribbean region, provided that they meet the criteria for membership.
For further information, please contact:
Misha Lobban
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean
6 Lockett Ave, Kingston 4
Jamaica, W.I.
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: (876) 922-3223; Fax: (876) 948-6610
