CD Talk: Supporting Revenue Administrations to Operate Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

Location: AV CORE

With the pandemic disrupting revenue administration operations, as well as those of businesses and industry, and reducing much needed revenue flows, the IMF has been responding to urgent country requests to assist with developing business continuity plans. Country representatives from Guatemala and the Maldives will explain how these plans are helping their tax and customs administrations to manage through the changing COVID-19 environment, ensure continued operations, safeguard revenue collections, and thus finance and implement their government responses to the crisis.

VIDEO

SPEAKERS

Werner Ovalle
Director of Customs,
Superintendence of Tax Administration of Guatemala

Mr. Ovalle is the Director General of Guatemala Customs and new Vice-Chair for the World Customs Organization Americas/Caribbean region. Mr. Ovalle holds a Legal and Social Sciences degree from Rafael Landívar University and three master's degrees in Politics, Public Safety, and Integration and Development, from the Senior Management Program at the INCAE Business School. Mr. Ovalle has an extensive experience in Central American Integration Process, risk and information analysis, and interinstitutional coordination, developed during his 19-year career in the public sector and international organizations. Mr. Ovalle is a supporter of the National Policy to Prevent and Combat Fraud and Customs Smuggling.

Fathuhulla Jameel
Commissioner General of Taxation,
Maldives Inland Revenue Authority

Mr. Jameel is the Commissioner General of Taxation and leads the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) in the administration of the tax system of Maldives. He is a qualified charted accountant with a wide range of experience in tax, auditing and accounting. Mr. Fathuhulla has served at MIRA from its establishment in 2010 until 2016 where he broadened his experience in the private sector. He was an integral part of the team that first introduced a tax system in Maldives in 2010. Mr. Fathuhulla brings his expertise from audit, tax, and risk management background to the table in formulating regulations and policies that MIRA implements, and also bring this expertise in serving as a member of MIRA’s Board of Directors.

Susan Betts
Fiscal Affairs Department,
IMF

Ms. Betts is a Senior Economist with the Revenue Administration Division of the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD). She joined FAD in 2016 after a 30-year career with the Canada Revenue Agency, mainly specializing in compliance. As Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Directorate, Susan led the implementation of CRA's strategy on addressing the Underground Economy. She also led business transformation efforts for the CRA's compliance branch. Susan is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

A Azael Perez Azcarraga
Fiscal Affairs Department,
IMF

Mr. Perez has over 25 years of professional experience in international trade and customs. Currently he is a Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), responsible for the coordination of technical assistance on customs administration for Latin America and the Caribbean. As a consultant, previously with the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations, and now the IMF, he has led major modernization reforms in customs administration in over 14 countries. His work has helped countries enhance trade facilitation while protecting their borders.