This week, tax authorities from 24 Caribbean jurisdictions are convening to address a pressing shared challenge: boosting tax revenue collection as regional economies grow increasingly digitalized. The gathering, which runs from July 27 to 31, marks the 27th Annual General Assembly and Technical Conference of the Caribbean Organisation of Tax Administrators (COTA), co-hosted by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Guyana Revenue Authority. The event centers on advancing the integration of artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and streamlined operational frameworks to modernize tax collection across the region.
Against the overarching theme “Future-Ready CARICOM Tax Administration – Smart, Data-Driven and AI-Enabled for Sustainable Revenue”, tax commissioners and fiscal policy experts from across participating jurisdictions are diving into actionable strategies to leverage emerging technologies. The core goals of these discussions include strengthening compliance with tax regulations, cutting inefficiencies in collection processes, and improving public service delivery for both individual taxpayers and local businesses.
Regional leaders from CARICOM have emphasized that Caribbean tax systems face mounting pressure to adapt to a rapidly evolving economic landscape defined by growing cross-border activity and digital transformation. Advanced tools including AI-powered analytics and cloud-based digital tax administration are now critical to detecting tax evasion, closing compliance gaps, and expanding sustainable public revenue streams for member states, the organization notes.
Alongside technical working sessions, the conference will host a High-Level Regional Meeting on Tax and Development, organized in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other global institutional partners. This high-level forum will focus on unpacking both the opportunities and obstacles Caribbean nations face as they navigate sweeping shifts in international tax governance norms.
For Suriname, one of the 24 participating jurisdictions, the conference carries heightened strategic importance. The South American nation is currently in the process of overhauling its national tax system, as it prepares to manage a projected surge in public revenue from upcoming oil and gas production. Regional fiscal stakeholders frame a modernized, technology-driven tax administration as a foundational requirement to effectively manage these new natural resource revenues and curb widespread tax avoidance that has long eroded public income.
COTA, which operates under the auspices of the CARICOM Secretariat, works to support regional tax bodies through targeted training programs, cross-border knowledge sharing, and the development of unified regional tax standards. The annual conference serves as the organization’s flagship event for aligning member jurisdictions on shared modernization priorities.