DR Peter Phillips, the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) spokesman on finance minister, yesterday blamed mismanagement by Finance Minister Audley Shaw for what it described as the “state of flux” concerning the review and future of Jamaica’s programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Close examination of the current ‘stand-off’ in the relationship between Jamaica and the IMF shows that at the heart of our current predicament is the continued mismanagement of the country’s economic affairs by the Government and the minister, especially in relation to structural economic reforms, which are central to the [IMF] agreement, which have not been implemented in the prescribed time,” Phillips told a press conference in Kingston yesterday.

He listed what he said was the “continuing violation” by the Government of its commitment under the IMF programme to end the granting of discretionary tax waivers, especially in a climate of revenue shortfalls, as being chief among the failures of the regime.

Phillips added that the administration’s inability to advance the public sector transformation programme, dithering on the implementation of comprehensive tax reforms, and the delay in public sector pension reforms were among the reasons why the country has not been able to reach an agreement with the IMF.

Phillips said, too, that there was still no coherent, discernible growth strategy that sets out the role of the Government in stimulating public sector investment and in encouraging and channelling private sector investments.

“This is critical for the creation of jobs and growth, especially in the existing challenging international climate. It is also vitally important if we are to grow the economy sufficiently so that we can meet our future debt service obligations,” said Phillips.

The Opposition has, in the meantime, asked the administration to ensure that there are:

* greater levels of transparency and public accountability in the management of the economy;

* greater transparency in the granting of discretionary waivers; and

* the publishing of all information related to waivers granted over the past 18 months.

The Opposition PNP spokesman also called on the Government to give the reason for delays encountered in relation to investment projects, and for public sector pension reform proposals to be referred to the appropriate committee of Parliament for its consideration.

“The minister should immediately convene a meeting of the committee on taxation for it to begin its deliberations on the tax reform proposals (as) the country can afford no further delays,” Phillips said of the tax reform proposals which were announced six months ago, with a Committee of Parliament appointed about a month ago. “There is no reason for delay except mismanagement and these are weighty matters that require careful deliberation,” he added.