On the Wall: Is the Global Accountancy Profession Really Making Strides?

Mr. Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Patrick Manning, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends.

It is a pleasure to be here with you for this 26th Annual Conference of Accountants in the Caribbean.

I would like to thank the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC), Angela Lee Loy, and the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT), Sean Ramirez, for the invitation to speak to you today.

Let me start with a question.

Is it worth being an accountant? This is not a minor question to face for those of us who made this decision a long time ago. But it is even more important for the thousands of students who are making this decision now, and trying to determine what path they will follow. Of course, this question is also crucial for the future of our profession, because in order to have a future, our profession must be attractive to new generations. Hence, it is vital that we communicate the key role that professional accountants play in society to potential members and the wider world.

IFAC sees the accountancy profession and all professional accountants as effective agents for development in our societies. This places the accountancy profession in its true dimension, and makes the relevance and sustainability of our profession a matter of public interest.