A Plea For A Bipartisan Budget Debate
Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala
Women struggling to sustain homes, wage earners, the business community and economists and other professionals, all await the presentation to parliament of the government’s budget proposals for the year 2013, on 8th November 2012. All of them, no doubt, have their own concerns and expectations as to the impact the national budget would have on their own budgets and economic well being. Many of them will also be entertaining thoughts of its impact, on the country itself and the nation’s well being.
Friday Forum, as a group of concerned citizens committed to social justice, the rule of law and democratic change, wishes to place some thoughts before the public, legislators and the government, on what it hopes, the budget will address and what the budgetary process and the outcome of that process, ought to be.
We wish that the processes involved in the development, approval and the effective implementation thereafter of the Budget be exercised with transparency, equity and due accountability to deliver sustainable growth and prosperity to the nation and its people. We believe that the citizens have a right to be made aware of the likely future impact on them and the nation as a consequence of the budget. These concerns include:
Read MoreA. What are the national resource allocation priorities, trends in the shift of priorities and specific areas where cuts have been imposed and areas where additional resource allocations have been made? What are the justifications for both cuts and additional allocations? What are the consequential impacts ondifferent segments of society? What measures of relief and support are offered to those negatively impacted, especially the marginalized segments of society?B. Are the major infrastructure projects funded by previous budget allocations delivering outcomes and returns as anticipated? Where these investments have been funded mainly out of borrowings, will the expected future cash flow returns from these projects be adequate for debt servicing commitments?C. What is the fiscal gap ie. the value today (the present value) of the difference between projected spending (including servicing official debt) and projected revenue in all future years? Is it positive or negative? Are there statutory controls on borrowing and if so are these being adhered to? What are citizens right to information, since citizens never appear to get a clear picture of the details of borrowing and the future consequences?D. Are there serious initiatives towards assuring that all key budget expenditure items are managed with economy, efficiency and effectiveness and allocated with equity?E. What are the initiatives towards minimizing of wasteful / unproductive/ inequitable expenditure and what measures are in force to eliminate corruption? Which Minister leads such initiative and to whom is he accountable? What have been the beneficial outcomes during the last year?F. Will the budget taken as a whole pass the citizens’ test in regard to justice, equity, transparency, sustainability and priorities for national reconciliation, poverty alleviation and economic opportunity widening growth?
