KINGSTON, Jamaica— A search committee has been established to identify a suitable candidate to lead Jamaica’s Fiscal Commission, says Finance and Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke.

Clarke made the announcement Tuesday as he opened the 2022/23 Budget Debate in Gordon House.

He told the House that the search committee is headed by Jamaican economist Dr Calvin McDonald, who recently retired as deputy secretary to the International Monetary Fund.

“We expect the identification process to have a list of candidates that the respective appointing authority – the Governor General on advice –  [will choose from],” Clarke said. He added that the expectation is that the fiscal commissioner will be appointed during the upcoming fiscal year which begins April 1, and the selected candidate will lead the establishment of that office.

“The fiscal commissioner will be the guardian of Jamaica’s fiscal rules and will assist in nurturing the environment that is conducive to responsible fiscal policy,” Clarke said.