On 16th September 1999 even before the ACCA council finished its meeting, we told that world  that ACCA was being pushed out of IFAC (click here to see the item). In response of this exclusive revelation, ACCA was forced to to issue a press release on  20th September 1999. Used to keeping members in the dark, the ACCA bureaucrats conducted an internal investigation and naturally that did not reveal anything.

It is not that the IFAC or the CCAB have anything against ACCA. The reality is ACCA is not equipped to do anything at an international stage. It can't even get recognition for its qualifications in Canada and USA. The debate in ACCA is stifled. Members are silenced through threats and censorship. Anyone speaking their mind is removed from council.

Let us look at the ACCA council.

• Of the three officeholders, President is busy nursing Marks & Spencer through its financial difficulties. The other two are either retired or semi-retired.
• With the departure of Tony Cruse and Robert Jackson two positions are vacant.
• One of the effects of the proxy votes cast by the President is that the duration of some council members’ term is very short. It does not enable them to become fully familiar with the politics of the domestic or the international arena. Twelve persons have been at council for less than 18 months. If any of these harbored any thoughts of reform or standing up to the current 'inner council' or management they would be out too.
• Five former Presidents, well past their sell-by date, are still on ACCA’s council.
• Another three members are near their retirement age.
• With the very public removal of Ray Gardiner from office, the reforming  members have been silenced and may not share the management's policies and strategies for advancing ACCA’s interests.
• A kind of racism has operated  at ACCA. Members will recall that until 1996 no overseas member appeared on council. To date, no nonwhite member or an overseas member has been allowed to hold office. The same racism is evident in ACCA's dealings with the CCAB  and the IFAC. Overseas council members could be put forward for nomination but the ACCA’s controllers are not happy with this.
• Most of the  ACCA's overseas council members either come from small offshore islands (Singapore, Hong Kong, Jamaica) or live at a great distance away (Malaysia) from the Western hemisphere. It is difficult to see why they should be devoted to advancing the hegemony of the UK bodies at the expense of the interests of the countries that they live and work in. Not everyone has the imperialist mentality!