Risk Management for Revenue Administrations Training Workshop held in St. Kitts

Ginelle Thomas accepting certificate of participation

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 21, 2013 – The Inland Revenue Department in conjunction with SEMCAR (Supporting Economic Management in the Caribbean) is holding a two week training workshop and consultation from February 18 to March 1, 2013 aimed at designing and developing a comprehensive risk management framework for St. Kitts and Nevis. During the meetings, participants from a number of regional member States will be trained in constructing and implementing a modern risk management framework.

The training which began on Monday February 18, 2003, will be held at the Inland Revenue Department on St. Kitts. The workshop will include persons from the St. Kitts-Nevis Inland Revenue Department, St. Kitts-Nevis Customs and Excise Department, Jamaica Inland Revenue Department and Dominica’s Customs and Excise Division. The inter-departmental programme is expected to involve the integration and coordination of systems and procedures of the Inland Revenue Department and Customs and Excise Department. The project is expected to enhance and expand the capability of the Departments to detect and reduce fraud, waste and inefficiency. It is envisage that this new methodology will generate significant improvements in operational efficiency and higher productivity at the respective revenue administration agencies.

Moreover, the training forms part of the long term strategic goal of the Inland Revenue Department to transform the organisation into a world class revenue administration. Against the backdrop of rapid changes within tax administrations around the world, it is imperative that we aim to enhance the knowledge and technical capabilities of our employees and ensure that our systems and procedures are sufficient to meet the goals of the Department.

Participants at workshop

SEMCAR (Supporting Economic Management in the Caribbean), is supported by funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is managed by the World Bank, in partnership with the International Monetary Fund IMF. The strategic objective of the SEMCAR Program is to improve economic management, regional integration and competitiveness in 12 Caribbean countries. Within this strategic context, the Program is expected to contribute to a more efficient, effective, accountable, and regionally integrated Tax, Customs and PFM institutions, policies, processes and ICT systems. SEMCAR runs from April 2011 until April 2014 with the total financing of CDN$19.2 million/US$18.26 million under a Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

The Inland Revenue Department is charged with administering the tax laws of the Federation in an efficient and equitable manner, to promote voluntary compliance to maximize revenue for the development of the Federation at the least cost to the public and in a manner that warrants the highest degree of public confidence in our integrity, efficiency and fairness. The Inland Revenue Department is the prime revenue collections agency for the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis within the Ministry of Finance, located at Bay Road, Basseterre, and Charlestown, St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies.