FIJI INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANTS
UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC EVENT
FRIDAY 09 APRIL 2021
ADDRESS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT OF FIA, TARLOCHAN SINGH
A very good evening to you! Thank you sincerely for this opportunity to address you tonight. Over the years the Fiji Institute of Accountants (FIA) has been able to collaborate with the University of the South Pacific’s School of Accounting, Finance & Economics for various seminars, awareness programmes and more importantly we have managed to engage on various platforms with regards to the Accounting profession, standards and compliance. But I must admit that one of the most important of our partnerships would have to be this….. the recognition of the Year 13 Top Accounting Students Awards.
This initiative is aligned with the Institute’s strategic plan to create awareness for the future members of the Institute and building the FIA brand in Fiji and the region. As the only local professional Accounting body in Fiji the FIA has a responsibility to encourage and nurture more students to take up Accounting and work towards a career in Accounting, and marketing and branding the FIA brand. The Institute exists to provide professional developments/up-skilling of Accountants after their tertiary education, increase our membership base and strengthen our relationship with the three universities in Fiji.
As an Institute we have a primary responsibility to our members by ensuring that we find avenues that develop the profession and Accounting professionals. This is one of the ways that we are able to bring this to fruition through such collaborations that recognise, celebrate and reward students who have excelled in their studies in the subject of Accounting.
We have sponsored these awards since the academic year 2016 to date. This will be a total of 5 years of sponsorship. It is key that through such sponsorship or support we are already contributing to the future of the Accounting fraternity but at the same time we celebrate the passion and the drive that these upcoming Accountants are already achieving.
From the academic years 2016 to 2020 we have awarded a total of 22 students: 2016 (4), 2017 (4), 2018 (4), 2019 (5) – total of 17 students; and we will be awarding 5 deserving students tonight for the 2020 academic year.
I must make mention here that our work does not begin with the awards. Over the years we have been carrying out various awareness or information programmes by visiting schools across the country. We have travelled to Queen Victoria School (QVS) in 2019 by the past president 2012/2013 Camacakau Raimuria an ex-student of QVS on 19/03/2019 during Commerce Week as guest speaker; the second school visit was conducted by past president 2015/2016 Jerome Kado a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers to his alma mater Marist Brothers High School on 11/06/2019.
Due to COVID-19 last year we were unable to conduct visitations however we do intend to reconvene these as soon as we can ensuring that we adhere to the COVID-19 protocols.
These visitations or awareness programmes allows members of the Institute to advocate on the Accounting profession, talk about the institution, and the work that we do, share career personal paths and journeys. It is our hope as well that these awareness programmes will inspire students to seriously consider or take up a career in accounting or finance.
I must admit that we all share a responsibility with regards to developing the profession; parents, teachers, lecturers, tutors, the FIA itself, Accounting and professionals …we all contribute towards the academic journey of these students. We each have a part to play and through our collaborated efforts we are contributing to the future of the Accounting fraternity.
To the students, this is only your first year, so this is only the beginning of your tertiary career. My only advice is to continue to work hard, remain dedicated and focused. You have chosen to take up a career in Accounting or in finance so now that have a huge responsibility as well. As Accountants we are bound by standards and professional ethics so know that it is not “ALL About the Money” as they say..… it is about being professional, being honest, being the best version of you and most of all, it is about inspiring others by being a role model. As Accountants you carry the moral compass of any organisation you work for so know that whatever you do, you do for the best interest of those who put their trust in you.
In conclusion, I wish to encourage all students to take up Accounting as a profession and sign up to be a student member of the Institute. The opportunities are endless as we provide technical expertise and training and most of all many opportunities to network with seasoned Accounting professionals of the Institute.
With those words, again thank you so much to the University of the South Pacific and the School of Accounting, Finance & Economics for this partnership and we look forward to future collaborations.
On a personal note I would like to advise that our President Pravinesh Singh sends his sincere apologies for not being able to be here tonight. This afternoon he had to leave for the West for an emergency meeting. However he sends his warm congratulations to the hard working 5 students who are awarded by the Institute and wish them the very best with their studies.
All the best and thank you!