JAMAICA: RESPONSE TO FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000271

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX)
EEB/IFD/OMA (JJACOBY)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID PREL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: RESPONSE TO FISCAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT

REF: A) STATE 28885

SUMMARY
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1. (U) The following is Post's response to questions listed in
reftel regarding fiscal transparency in Jamaica.


2. (U) Jamaica's fiscal transparency and accountability is
constitutionally mandated and legally enforced. The national budget
is publicly available and fiscal numbers are published by the
Ministry of Finance and Public Service each month and at the end of
the fiscal year. These figures include both revenues (income) and
expenditures. In addition, the Government of Jamaica's private and
multilateral external lenders also require transparency and
accountability as a condition for their loans (upon which Jamaica is
heavily dependent).


3. (U) The Government of Jamaica's annual budgets are published and
scrutinized by the government opposition, the media and the general
public. The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ - the government's
development assistance coordinating and economic planning agency)
actively monitors the fiscal accounts and also publishes its
analyses each quarter. As part of the International Monetary Fund's
(IMF) general data dissemination standard, the Government of Jamaica
has voluntarily agreed to publish fiscal data on its website each
month (www.mof.gov.jm). Each year the Ministry also publishes
Estimates of Expenditure, Fiscal Accounts and a Memorandum on the
Budget. The Auditor General, who is required to review the public
accounts and present his/her findings to Parliament, is autonomous
of the executive (the Prime Minister and Cabinet),as required by
the Jamaican Constitution.


4. (U) At this time there are no U.S. government-sponsored programs
with the Government of Jamaica to promote transparency and
accountability in budgeting. The Minister of Finance and Public
Service, Audley Shaw, announced in March 2008 that he received USD
300,000 from the World Bank to undertake a diagnostic study on
corruption in Jamaica. The European Union also is in the process of
funding a three-year debt reduction and growth enhancement program
at a cost of USD 150 million. The effort will include fiscal
transparency, debt containment, fiscal accountability and tax
reforms to stimulate investment and growth.
HEG