Courtney Williams, the outgoing Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security was sworn in last Friday, March 3, as Jamaica’s first Fiscal Commissioner.

Williams was sworn in at King’s House by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen on the advice of Prime Minister Andrew Holness and after consultation with Opposition Leader Mark Golding.

Finance and Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke made the announcement on Tuesday as he opened the 2023/24 Budget Debate at Gordon House.

The Fiscal Commissioner heads the Independent Fiscal Commission.

Clarke was selected after a search, led by Jamaican national Harvey McDonald, retired secretary to the International Monetary Fund (IMF); the head of Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC), Keith Duncan; and President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, Helene Davis Whyte and other specialists.

“The new fiscal commissioner is a veteran of the Ministry of Finance who previously spent three years at the IMF. On his return, he was appointed deputy financial secretary before being recruited by the Ministry of National Security where he has served as Permanent Secretary since 2020,” Clarke shared.

“He will be the guardian and interpreter of Jamaica’s fiscal rules and will be required to monitor adherence to these rules and provide independent assessment of budgetary outcomes in addition to independent analysis,” the minister added.

Clarke said that as a country “we must protect the gains of the economic recovery and …the path of fiscal responsibility that Jamaica has pursued for a decade and which has delivered results for us as a country”.

Williams began his public sector career as senior fiscal economist in the Fiscal Policy Management Unit (FPMU) of the Ministry of Finance in 1995. He served as senior director of the FPMU from 2005 – 2016. He was appointed deputy financial secretary, Technical Advisory Coordination in the Ministry of Finance & the Public Service in January 2020, and that same year was appointed permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security.

Starting in 2008, he spearheaded the development and implementation of Jamaica’s Fiscal Responsibility Framework – a landmark reform that has been emulated by other Caribbean countries. Williams directed the management of fiscal operations that ensured Jamaica’s strong performance under IMF-supported Programmes. He also successfully led negotiations for Jamaica’s first Development Policy Loan from the World Bank in 2009.

He has served on a number of boards and committees, including:

• Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Jamaica, Director, 2012-2016

• Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Director and Audit Committee Chairman 2012-2016

• Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission, Board Member, 2001-2002

• United Nations (UN), Member of Committee on Contributions, 2008-2011

He holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University, New York; a Certificate in Tax Analysis and Revenue Forecasting from Harvard University; and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management from the University of the West Indies.