Honourable Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto, announced on Friday that Sint Maarten is now a member of the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT).
The membership became effective on April5, 2011. Acting Secretary General of Ministry of Finance Sherry Hazel is currently in Quito, Ecuador attending the 45th General Assembly CIAT Convention.
It was during the Convention that Sint Maarten became a member.
The event is being sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service Ecuadorean Tax Department. The convention started on April 4 until 7. There are over 50 delegations from CIAT member countries, international organizations and other countries.
The CIAT supports the efforts of national governments by promoting the evolution, social acceptance and institutional strengthening of tax administrations, encouraging international cooperation and the exchange of experiences and best practices.
The CIAT is a non-profit international public organization that provides specialized technical assistance for the modernization and strengthening of tax administrations and is based in Panama.
It was founded in 1967, and currently has 40 member countries and associate member countries from four continents: 31 countries of the Americas, six European countries, two African countries and one Asian country.
CIAT is committed to achieving measureable results; the values promoted by the organization are integrity, transparency and ethics in an effort to prevent and combat all forms of tax fraud, evasion and avoidance and to facilitate voluntary compliance.
"The CIAT can offer member countries specialized technical assistance based on the particular needs and interests expressed by member countries, through technical cooperation activities.
"The organization also encourages studies and research projects about tax systems and administrations, promoting timely dissemination of relevant information and the exchange of ideas and experiences through general assemblies, technical conferences, seminars, publications and other appropriate means," Hon. Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto said on Friday.