THE institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Guyana Chapter held a Seminar and Workshop on the topics of Interviewing Techniques, Fraud Risk Assessment and Governance on Thursday, 23 November.

The event, hosted at the Georgetown Club, was aimed at developing the internal auditing profession, promoting membership of the Global IIA and encouraging practicing auditors to obtain certification.
Prior to its commencement, Facilitator and Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA), Ramesh Seebarran, related to the Guyana Chronicle his expectations for the workshop. “We’re hoping for their involvement, their full participation and the information we disseminate to them; they will be able to go back to their workplace and…put it into practice; all with the intention to make the role of the internal auditor more efficient, more effective.”

The members present at the seminar along with Seebarran were: President of the IIA Guyana Chapter, Goorwantie Devi Kaladeen; Chair of the IIA Guyana Chapter Board, John Seeram; Certified Fraud Examiner from Trinidad, Stephon Grey and Governor on the Guyana Chapter Board, Chateram Ramdihal.

Delivering opening remarks, Seeram said that auditors needed to be up-to-date with their global colleagues and further promote membership within the IIA. “Our Chapter has annual goals to attain, one of which is continuing education. You have to keep abreast with this trend and don’t be left behind…You have a very important role to play in terms of this widely used term ‘accountability’. Teaming up with the Guyana Chapter is the way to go for your professional development.”

The seminar is fashioned to the Institute’s International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) and was free of cost to the estimated 50 persons in attendance.
Seebarran, facilitator at the event, said that through engagement during the seminars, the body hoped to hear of the various challenges faced by the auditors, thus being able to advise them on how to deal with it.

“Everybody comes from a different work environment, they all face different challenges; we’re hoping that these trainings, ongoing continuously by the IIA Guyana Chapter, will help them to improve so that they can deliver and be able to become more efficient in the work environment,” Seebarran said.

Speaking extensively, Fraud Examiner, Stephon Grey, utilized relatable example to address the auditors on how to effectively communicate during interviews.
Other topics covered were handling vulnerability in organizations through conducting Fraud Risk Assessments and facilitating effective, entrepreneurial and prudent management.
Also at the seminar was Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Board Director, Ramesh Dookhoo, who made comments on the state of Internal Auditing in Guyana.

“The profession, as you know, is in danger, in my view. Not too much good governance is taking place regarding the profession. Too many auditors are still exposed to the whims and fancies of ‘all-powerful’ CEOs, uncaring boards…not appreciating the work of the Internal Audit Department,” Dookhoo commented.

He further encouraged the Guyana Chapter in its work and beckoned the attending auditors to continue to be strong mentally in the noble work that they do. Finally, the attendees were encouraged to work towards becoming Certified Internal Auditors as it is a necessary and needed improvement in Guyana. The Guyana Chapter was established in April of 2000 and today has approximately 35 organizations, both in private and public sectors, engaging in their seminars.