The sixteen Caribbean countries being represented, including Belize, will share ideas and experiences and try to develop systems to improve and modernize tax administration locally and regionally.

The event was inaugurated on Monday with an address by Mrs. Marilyn Ordonez, Assistant Commissioner Income Tax, Belize Income Tax Department.

Mrs. Ordonez remarked: "Of significant importance is the relevance of the theme of this week’s conference 'Building Efficient Tax Administrations Towards Promoting National and Regional Development'. How appropriate as our tax administrators seek to discover creative and modern means of providing efficiency."

She added: "During this week we will hear dynamic presentations of relevant topics such as 'Template for an Efficient Integrated Tax Processing System, Legislative Framework – Modernizing Powers, Deterrents and Safeguards', 'The Role of a Revenue Court: Success Stories and Lessons', just to name a few."

COTA has over the years been instrumental in formulating tax harmonization in various important areas of taxation through the CARICOM Double Tax Agreement. With the assistance of the regional organizations, COTA continues to organize regional training programmes in capacity building to strengthen and enhance the technical and administrative skills of senior tax administrators.

“We hope that this conference will contribute to improving service delivery and compliance”, concluded Mrs. Ordonez.

Speakers at the opening of the conference included: Mr. James Charles, COTA President and Comptroller of Inland Revenue, St. Lucia; Ms. Evelyn Wayne, CARICOM Representative and COTA Programme Manager; Main Address by Mr. Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary, and the Vote of Thanks by Mr. Eric Eusey, Commissioner of Income Tax.

Countries being represented at this conference are: Belize, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Antigua, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.