Government Wage Bill Management and Civil Service Reform in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union

Government Wage Bill Management and Civil Service Reform in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union PDF Author: Mr.A. E. Wayne Mitchell
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498316077
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 33

Get Book

Book Description
In this study, we assess the size of the government wage bill and employment in the member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union and their implications for fiscal sustainability and the adequacy of public service delivery. Over the period 2005 to 2015 their wage bill (as a percentage of GDP, government revenues and expenditures) is higher than in other small states notwithstanding recent efforts by governments to make it more manageable. The composition and distribution of employment is sub-optimal and is reflected in skills mismatches contributing to inefficiencies in public service delivery. Using a dynamic fixed-effects panel, we find that wage bill growth reflects the expansion of government activities to speed up economic and social development and that wage bill spending is procyclical in good times but is rigid during downturns. Finally, we identify the main institutional and legal reforms needed to improve wage bill management and public service efficiency.

Government Wage Bill Management and Civil Service Reform in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union

Government Wage Bill Management and Civil Service Reform in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union PDF Author: Mr.A. E. Wayne Mitchell
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498316077
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 33

Get Book

Book Description
In this study, we assess the size of the government wage bill and employment in the member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union and their implications for fiscal sustainability and the adequacy of public service delivery. Over the period 2005 to 2015 their wage bill (as a percentage of GDP, government revenues and expenditures) is higher than in other small states notwithstanding recent efforts by governments to make it more manageable. The composition and distribution of employment is sub-optimal and is reflected in skills mismatches contributing to inefficiencies in public service delivery. Using a dynamic fixed-effects panel, we find that wage bill growth reflects the expansion of government activities to speed up economic and social development and that wage bill spending is procyclical in good times but is rigid during downturns. Finally, we identify the main institutional and legal reforms needed to improve wage bill management and public service efficiency.

Eastern Caribbean Currency Union

Eastern Caribbean Currency Union PDF Author: International Monetary Fund
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 145521390X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 90

Get Book

Book Description
Real regional gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 6 percent in 2009, reflecting a collapse in tourist arrivals and foreign direct investment (FDI)-financed construction activity. The global financial and economic crisis has also exposed areas of significant weaknesses, notwithstanding reforms implemented by a number of member countries. Executive Directors concurred that the urgent challenge is fiscal consolidation. They noted IMF staff’s assessment that the real effective exchange rate (REER) appears broadly in line with current fundamentals.

The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union

The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union PDF Author: Mr.Alfred Schipke
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1616352655
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 546

Get Book

Book Description
The Eastern Caribbean Economic and Currency Union (OECS/ECCU) is one of four currency unions in the world. As in other parts of the world in the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis, the region is at a crossroads, facing the major challenges of creating jobs, making growth more inclusive, reforming the banking system, and managing volatility, while grappling with high public debt and persistent low economic growth. Policymakers have the critical task of implementing strong reforms to strengthen the monetary union while also laying the foundation for accelerating growth. This Handbook provides a comprehensive analysis of the key issues in the OECS/ECCU, including its organization and economic and financial sector linkages, and provides policy recommendations to foster economic growth.

Explaining High Unemployment in ECCU Countries

Explaining High Unemployment in ECCU Countries PDF Author: Ronald James
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498318703
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 32

Get Book

Book Description
In recent years, unemployment rates in some ECCU countries have been among the highest globally. This paper evaluates several factors that could explain them, finding that high unit labor costs, in a context of strong unionization, are significantly associated with high structural unemployment, while the global crisis added a cyclical component. Our analysis also suggests that high-paid jobs in the public and tourism sectors, which have been growing considerably in recent decades, could have increased the reservation wage and lowered labor force participation. We find no indication that high structural unemployment is related to the phase out of EU preferences on bananas/sugar exports or to a skills mismatch. As expected, unemployment has been substantially, but only temporarily fueled by large natural disasters.

Serving Citizens

Serving Citizens PDF Author: Juan Carlos Cortázar Velarde
Publisher: Inter-American Development Bank
ISBN: 1597821845
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 232

Get Book

Book Description
This book focuses on civil service reform within the central administration in Latin America. It analyzes updated versions of the country assessments carried out by the Inter-American Development Bank in 2004 in 16 countries and presents a comparative analysis of the ways in which the countries have evolved during the last decade. The methodology is based on the principles of the Ibero-American Charter for Public Service. In addition, it draws lessons from reform processes, identifying strategies for civil service modernization in the region. Finally, the book proposes a possible future agenda to continue the efforts to further professionalize the civil service in Latin America.

The Romanian Economic Reform Program

The Romanian Economic Reform Program PDF Author: Mr.Dimitri G. Demekas
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1451850247
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 56

Get Book

Book Description
With the start of the process of its transition to a market economy in early 1990, Romania joined the ranks of other reforming Eastern European countries. At the starting point of its reform program, however, Romania was in a deep economic and institutional crisis and had no experience in even modest attempts to reform its economy. This paper outlines the main characteristics of the Romanian economic system before the reform, and presents the evolution of the reform program, as well as its achievements in the first year or so since it was launched.

The State of State Reforms in Latin America

The State of State Reforms in Latin America PDF Author: Eduardo Lora
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821365762
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 470

Get Book

Book Description
Latin America suffered a profound state crisis in the 1980s, which prompted not only the wave of macroeconomic and deregulation reforms known as the Washington Consensus, but also a wide variety of institutional or 'second generation' reforms. 'The State of State Reform in Latin America' reviews and assesses the outcomes of these less studied institutional reforms. This book examines four major areas of institutional reform: a. political institutions and the state organization; b. fiscal institutions, such as budget, tax and decentralization institutions; c. public institutions in charge of sectoral economic policies (financial, industrial, and infrastructure); and d. social sector institutions (pensions, social protection, and education). In each of these areas, the authors summarize the reform objectives, describe and measure their scope, assess the main outcomes, and identify the obstacles for implementation, especially those of an institutional nature.

Public Sector Pay and Employment Reform

Public Sector Pay and Employment Reform PDF Author: Barbara Nunberg
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN:
Category : Civil service reform
Languages : en
Pages : 49

Get Book

Book Description
Overstaffed bureaucracies afflicted by eroding salaries, demoralization, corruption, moonlighting, and chronic absenteeism are often unable to carry out the key tasks of economic recovery. What should the Bank do about it?

Subsidy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa

Subsidy Reform in the Middle East and North Africa PDF Author: Mr.Carlo A. Sdralevich
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498348467
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 130

Get Book

Book Description
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries price subsidies are common, especially on food and fuels. However, these are neither well targeted nor cost effective as a social protection tool, often benefiting mainly the better off instead of the poor and vulnerable. This paper explores the challenges of replacing generalized price subsidies with more equitable social safety net instruments, including the short-term inflationary effects, and describes the features of successful subsidy reforms.

The Public Wealth of Nations

The Public Wealth of Nations PDF Author: D. Detter
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 113751986X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 230

Get Book

Book Description
We have spent the last three decades engaged in a pointless and irrelevant debate about the relative merits of privatization or nationalization. We have been arguing about the wrong thing while sitting on a goldmine of assets. Don’t worry about who owns those assets, worry about whether they are managed effectively. Why does this matter? Because despite the Thatcher/ Reagan economic revolution, the largest pool of wealth in the world – a global total that is much larger than the world’s total pensions savings, and ten times the total of all the sovereign wealth funds on the planet – is still comprised of commercial assets that are held in public ownership. If professionally managed, they could generate an annual yield of 2.7 trillion dollars, more than current global spending on infrastructure: transport, power, water, and communications. Based on both economic research and hands-on experience from many countries, the authors argue that publicly owned commercial assets need to be taken out of the direct and distorting control of politicians and placed under professional management in a ‘National Wealth Fund’ or its local government equivalent. Such a move would trigger much-needed structural reforms in national economies, thus resurrect strained government finances, bolster ailing economic growth, and improve the fabric of democratic institutions. This radical, reforming book was named one of the "Books of the Year".by both the FT and The Economist.