41 students obtain Diploma in Taxation

Forty-one students, all graduates in either accountancy or law, earned their Diploma in Taxation during the first structured, year-long course in taxation organised by the Malta Institute of Taxation (MIT).

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech presided over the graduation ceremony held at the International Maritime Law Institute at the University of Malta.

Institute president Edwin A. Vella emphasised the institute's academic nature and outlined ways in which the institute strove to implement its commitment towards education in taxation matters. The Institute is working towards establishing a Masters course in taxation at the University.

Dr Damien Fiott, top student in the course, delivered the traditional student's address. He expressed the students' appreciation of the course which was helping practitioners chart their way through the country's increasingly complex tax laws. One could almost wish for a three-year embargo on the enactment of new tax legislation. The course had given students a detailed review of the current position, but he suggested that more time be dedicated to subsidiary legislation which was becoming increasingly important.

Before presenting Diplomas to the successful students, Mr Fenech expressed his appreciation for the hard work put in by the institute since its constitution, and at the balanced and fair way in which its comments and suggestions have always been made to Government. Some of the institute's proposals, while acceptable in principle to Government, could not be implemented in the short term, but this did not mean that they were lost sight of.

Students who were accepted for enrolment in the second course that began in the second week of October also attended the ceremony.