The president of the world?s oldest accountancy body told Bermuda members to hold true to their values of ?industry, integrity and service?.

Ian Robertson, president of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) and Ian Marrian, his chief executive, are visiting Bermuda, Canada and the USA on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the ICAS. It is the world?s first professional body of accountants, receiving its Royal Charter in 1854. ICAS has over 15,500 members world-wide and the CA designation is reserved exclusively for their use in the UK.

Mr. Robertson told a gathering that now and into the future members must ?marry the values and ethics of our predecessors with a clear appreciation of the opportunities and risks the future will bring?.

?We cannot go far wrong, for example, if we stick closely to the path suggested by our ICAS motto ?Quaere Verum? ? ?Seek the Truth?. We must continue to hold as our touchstone the pursuit of public interest above self interest ? either as individuals or as a body,? he said.

?We will not go far wrong if we keep in our tool bag the ?industry, integrity and service? which brought such success to our predecessors over all those years. We must maintain our reputation for service to our clients ? and fight to retain the right to provide that service even when others are misguided enough to promulgate regulation in a way which ignores its value.?

Mr. Robertson told members to keep in mind that their work not only has to be above reproach but has to be seen to be above reproach.

?We also need to continue to put the regulation and standards of behaviour of our membership ahead of the costs incurred in so doing,? he said. ??We must continue to provide an independent view and an independent voice on accounting matters in such a way as to command the respect and attention of our sister bodies, of government, and of the accounting profession around the world.?