ICASL comes up with revamped journal

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL) has revamped the first issue of its official publication for 2007 'The Chartered Accountant' which they say will give the reader 'a fresh outlook' and 'a new dimension'.

Chairman of the Journal Committee Sujeewa Rajapakse said that 'with the current issue we are departing from our traditional pattern and devoting more space to accounting issues, home and abroad.'

In the issue, KPMG Ford Rhodes Thornton & Co. partner Suren Rajakarier, a fellow member of the ICASL and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), leads readers to an interesting and stimulating debate with an article on the positive effects of a rising demand for accountants worldwide. "Even though there is a high demand for accountants the enrollment in accounting programs has been dropping over the past few years," Rajakarier wrote. "The demand for accountants currently outstrips supply by as much as 20 – 30% and relief appears to be a long way off."

Other contributors to the Journal include ICASL Vice President Nishan Fernando discussing the 'Business Reporting Model of the Future as well as an interview with the incoming CEO of ICASL Keith Livera on his life story and the impending challenges of deeloping the student populous of the institute and raising its profile.

The journal also injects some humour and light-heartedness, courtesy of Kate Wynn-Williams, Head of the Department of Accountancy and Business Law at the University of Otago as she explores why anyone would want to be an accountant. The highlight of the current issue is the contribution by eminent physician Dr. Sunil Seneviratne Epa on 'Religion and Medical Science', an interesting subject area which Rajapakse says is close to most people. (NG)