The Independent Fiscal Commission (IFC) observed discussions during the sitting of Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee on March 5.

The discussions revealed obvious unawareness and misunderstandings by some parliamentarians, regarding the commission’s authority to publish its Economic and Fiscal Assessment Report (EFAR) ahead of it being tabled in the House of Representatives.

Consequently, Fiscal Commissioner Courtney Williams considers it critical to apprise the public that the Independent Fiscal Commission Act 2021, clearly empowers the commissioner to share any of his reports publicly through the commission’s website, once the report has been submitted to Parliament.

As the independent oversight body for Jamaica’s Fiscal Responsibility Framework, the commission is mandated to operate with transparency to ensure the public is well informed about the nation’s fiscal operations. 

In this regard, the commissioner wishes to draw the public’s attention to Section 15 (6)  of the IFC Act 2021, which states, “Prior to the publication of any report on the official website of the fiscal commission, in accordance with this section, the fiscal commissioner shall ensure that the report is submitted to the speaker of the House Of Representatives and the president of the Senate, who shall, as soon as possible, upon receipt of said report, have it laid on the table of the respective houses”

The latest EFAR was submitted to the Parliament on March 3 and subsequently published on the IFC’s website on said date.  

The commissioner remains dedicated to his mandate of providing an “informed and independent opinion” on the government’s fiscal policies. The authority to publish these reports and engage the public unencumbered is a critical pillar of the commissioner’s independence and transparency, ensuring he is “not… subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority” in the execution of his duties as provided for in Section 13 (1) of the act.