BELMOPAN, Belize, Oct 19, CMC – Belize is hosting a four day conference discussing the challenge facing tax administrations across the Caribbean on how to improve taxpayer compliance, safeguard government revenues, and deliver more effective services while making the best use of limited resources.
The third Compliance Risk Management (CRM) Community of Practice event has brought together tax administration representatives from Barbados, Curaçao, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, and Belize, with technical support from the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Affairs Department (IMF/FAD) and the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC).
The organisers said that the four day event, which ends on Thursday, provides a platform for each participating country to present how CRM is currently being applied within its tax administration, supported by practical examples of initiatives, results, challenges, and lessons learned.
They said that these exchanges will help countries identify effective approaches, strengthen risk-based decision-making, and develop more targeted strategies to address non-compliance.
Addressing the opening ceremony on Monday, the Director General of the Belize Tax Service, Mrs. Michelle Longsworth, said that the CRM is more than a technical framework and represents a fundamental shift in how tax administrations operate.
“The real value comes from how we use information – how we turn data into intelligence, intelligence into action, and action into measurable improvements in taxpayer compliance,” she said.
Longsworth said that effective compliance risk management requires sustained institutional commitment, investment in people and systems, and a willingness to learn from both successes and challenges.
The organisers said also that the event comes at an important stage in the continued modernization of Belize’s tax administration, as the Belize Tax Service works to strengthen its use of data, improve compliance strategies, and promote greater voluntary compliance.
The gathering also reinforces the importance of regional cooperation, recognizing that while Caribbean tax administrations may differ in size and resources, many of the compliance challenges they face are similar.
“Through this collaboration, participating countries aim to move beyond sharing experiences to identifying practical improvements that can be implemented within their respective tax administrations.”
CMC/gh/ir/2026