ACCOUNTING VITAL FOR GROWING ECONOMIES A growing economy such as Botswana needs accounting professionals with integrity, Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) president, Ms. Tshegofatso Modise has said. Ms. Modise said this in her opening address at the BICA/Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) 2014 Achievement Award ceremony on October 9. The awards ceremony celebrated achievements of 422 individuals who had reached special landmarks in their AAT career during 2013, including the seven who had completed the AAT Accounting Qualification and gained election to full membership. She thanked government for sponsoring the majority of the AAT graduates, saying “the support that government has continued to give to the accounting profession has indeed been immense.” BICA president extended her gratitude to various AAT tuition providers and individual lecturers who supported graduates in their studies, as well as families and friends rendered them both financial and moral support over the years. She also thanked the AAT-UK for sharing BICA’s passion in the development of the accounting profession, and for contributing significantly to the achievement of one of Botswana’s Vision 2016 pillar of ‘An Educated and Informed Nation.’ Ms. Modise appealed to those who had been admitted to AAT membership to apply for BICA membership, if they were not yet members. Giving a keynote address, AAT vice president, Mr. Allan Ramsay said AAT was not an easy qualification, as it required a lot of hard work and perseverance. The AAT Accounting Qualification, Mr Ramsay said was recognised by leading employers in the UK and around the world. Therefore, he thanked BICA for the encouragement and support of the work in Botswana. “We hold several achievement award ceremonies. However, we can always guarantee the Botswana Achievement Awards is the biggest. It is inspiring to see so many people celebrating their hard work and accomplishments,” he added. The AAT Accounting Qualification, he said was just the start of their journey in life. For those who were celebrating their AAT full membership, he said this was a demonstration of their commitment to the finance profession. Full membership of AAT, means the seven individuals can now use the letters MAAT- which stands for: Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians, after their names and receive a certificate confirming their professional status. This symbolises their accounting expertise and is recognised throughout the profession. “We ask, as part of your AAT membership, that you keep your skills up to date, so that your qualification remains relevant. We also believe continuing professional development will help you reach your potential and enrich your career,” he added. In his welcome remarks and reflection on AAT in Botswana, AAT chief executive, Mr. Mark Farrar said success in the AAT examinations and being admitted to membership did not come easy. For that reason, he said with the skills they acquired through their hard work and study, the graduates would now help the change their lives and of those of others. Good financial disciplines, Mr Farrar said were vital for the success of any organisation, adding that the graduates were now in a position to make a positive difference in such matters. In her closing remarks, BICA CEO, Ms. Verily Molatedi noted that BICA and AAT had been working together since 1998. The partnership, Ms. Molatedi said resulted in the birth of AAT Botswana, which meant that an AAT student in Botswana had access to support locally for the duration of the course. She reminded those planning to pursue the BICA qualification that the next intake was in January 2015 and encouraged them to make use of the opportunity. (BOPA)
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 11:18:43 +0000
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