Budget needs everyone’s input -ICPAR

The president of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR), Peter Rutaremara, has urged Rwandans, especially accountants and the private sector, to always give their views about the National Budget before and after it is read. Rutaremara made the call during a one-day budget review seminar organized by ICPAR which took place in Kigali yesterday. “The Ministry of Finance has done a tremendous job as regards improving the budget plan, but this is an issue that requires participation of every Rwandan because it benefits and affects all of us in different ways,” Rutaremara said. Elias Baingana, the Director General of Budget in the Finance Ministry, made a presentation on various issues concerning Income Tax Proposals. He said that the share of total grants to the budget is projected to progressively reduce from 44 percent in the 2009-2010 budget to 35 percent in the next fiscal year. Baingana called upon members of ICPAR to always share their experience and views with the government on the budget proposals before and after its reading. Speaking to The New Times after the seminar, Rutaremara said “the main objective of the seminar was to critically analyze the budget in order to enable participants have a deeper understanding of all its important provisions because it affects us directly or indirectly.” He said that the seminar is the first of its kind and noted that ICPAR will be organizing similar seminars annually.Rutaremara added that they will ensure that the resolutions from the seminar are forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and later incorporated into the current and future budgets. The seminar attracted participants from Rwanda Revenue Authority, tax administrators and several certified public accountants from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Ends