 | |
| Abbreviation | BICA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 6 August 1971 |
| Headquarters | Nassau, Bahamas |
Region | Bahamas |
Official language | English |
President | Darnell Osborne |
President Elect | Gowon Bowe |
| Website | http://www.bica.bs/ |
The Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) is a professional body that regulates the accountancy industry in the Bahamas. [1] In theory anyone approved by the relevant government ministry can act as an independent auditor, but in practice, all auditors are members of BICA. [2]
BICA was formed by Maitland Cates, Basil Sands and Clifford Culmer, who were among the first Bahamians to qualify as chartered accountants in the 1960s. [3] The Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants was incorporated on 6 August 1971. BICA became a member of the International Federation of Accountants in 1978, and a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of The Caribbean on 28 October 1988. The Public Accountants Act 1991 was enacted on 17 July 1991, empowering the institute to regulate and govern the accounting industry in the Bahamas. [4] On 18 June 2011 BICA celebrated its fortieth anniversary with a banquet at the Atlantis Grand Ballroom. BICA has over 300 active licensees and 500 members and associates at 31 December 2015. [5]
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is the global organization for the accountancy profession. Founded in 1977, IFAC has more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing nearly 3 million accountants employed in public practice, industry and commerce, government, and academe. The organization supports the development, adoption and implementation of international standards for accounting education, ethics, and the public sector as well as audit and assurance. It supports four independent standard-setting boards, which establish international standards on ethics, auditing and assurance, accounting education, and public sector accounting. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business and small and medium accounting practices.
BICA defines the qualifications required of accountants in the Bahamas, regulates the professional conduct of members, associates, students, and public accountants who are not members, and promotes the interests of the accounting profession. The institute promotes best practices of financial reporting, promotes professional education of accountants, provides for education and examination of professionals, arranges lectures and discussions and disseminates information. [6]
BICA is a member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). [7] BICA is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean. [8]
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) is an association of accounting organizations in the Caribbean region that promotes professionalism and standards of best practice in the region.
Chartered accountants were the first accountants to form a professional accounting body, initially established in Scotland in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants (1854), the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries (1854) and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants (1867) were each granted a royal charter almost from their inception. The title is an internationally recognised professional designation; the certified public accountant designation is generally equivalent to it.
Founded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants(ACCA) is the global professional accounting body offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification (ACCA). ACCA's headquarters are in London with principal administrative office in Glasgow. ACCA works through a network of over 104 offices and centres in 52 countries - with 323 Approved Learning Partners (ALP) and more than 7,300 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide employee development.
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), is a professional accountancy body in South Africa.
The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI), previously known as The Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI), is a premier statutory professional accountancy body in India with the objects of promoting, regulating and developing the profession of Cost & Management Accountancy. It is the only licensing cum regulating body of Cost & Management Accountancy profession in India. It recommends the Cost Accounting Standards to be followed by companies in India to which statutory maintenance of cost records applicable. ICMAI is solely responsible for setting the auditing and assurance standards for statutory Cost Audit to be followed in the Audit of Cost statements in India. It also issues other technical guidelines on several aspects like Internal Audit, Management Accounting etc. to be followed by practising Cost Accountants while discharging their services. It works closely with the industries, various departments of Government of India, State governments in India and other Regulating Authorities in India e.g. Reserve Bank of India, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, Securities and Exchange Board of India etc. on several aspects of performance, cost optimisation and reporting.
Chartered Accountants Ireland was established by Royal Charter on 14 May 1888, and is Ireland's largest accountancy body. It represents more than 25,000 members globally.
The International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) is an independent organisation within the fold of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). The board develops guidance to improve standards of education in accountancy. The two main areas of focus are the key elements of accreditation and the requirements of accountants for continuing professional education. The board also sponsors studies or papers about accounting education that promote discussion and debate on accounting education and development issues.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Guyana (ICAG) is a professional body in Guyana that regulates the accountancy industry and arranges for ongoing training of its members.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) is a professional accountancy body in Jamaica. It is the sole organisation in Jamaica with the right to award the Chartered Accountant designation.
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) is a professional accountancy body in Pakistan. As of December 2018, it has 9989 members working in and outside Pakistan. The institute was established on July 1, 1961 to regulate the profession of accountancy in Pakistan. It is a statutory autonomous body established under the Chartered Accountants Ordinance 1961. With the significant growth in the profession, the CA Ordinance and Bye-Laws were revised in 1983.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (ICATT) is a professional accountancy body in Trinidad and Tobago. It is the sole organization in Trinidad and Tobago with the right to award the Chartered Accountant designation.
The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) is a professional body representing and providing certification for financial accountants in the United Kingdom. The IFA is a full member of the International Federation of Accountants.
In Bangladesh, the profession of accountancy developed during the British colonial period. The basic requirements for financial reporting by all companies in Bangladesh are provided by the Companies Act of 1994. Today, it is represented by two professional bodies, the Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB).
The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) is one of the two professional accountancy associations with regulatory authority in Nigeria, the other being the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). A consultant offering financial services in Nigeria must be a member of either ANAN or ICAN.
The Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) is the regional body that is aimed to represent African professional accountants with one and louder voice, particularly in relating with International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). It was inaugurated in Dakar, Senegal on 5 May 2011.
The National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA) is an accounting professional and regulatory body operating under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, the sole body to certify accountants in Tanzania. It began operating on 15 January 1973.
The Liberian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA) is a professional association of accountants in Liberia.
The Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accountants (CISPA) is a professional association of accountants in the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. CISPA is responsible for licensing accounting practitioners, supports education of accountants and participates in decisions about the financial industry in the offshore financial centre.
The Institute of Authorized Chartered Auditors of Albania is a professional body that regulates the accountancy industry in Albania.