Budget score improves- Fiji Times

This story was published by The Fiji Times on Wednesday January 31, 2018.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=432856

By Lice Movono

FIJI’s score in a 2017 international budget survey is one less than the global average although it did improve from its 2015 score.

The Citizen’s Constitutional Forum announced Fiji’s 41/100 in the Open Budget Index this morning and said it the 2015 score was 15/100.

The Open Budget Index, obtained through an Open Budget Survey the transparency of the process of compiling the national budget, budget oversight and public participation in the process.

CCF CEO Sara Bulutani Mataitawakilai said the OBS uses internationally accepted criteria developed by multilateral organizations.

“It is positive to note that the Ministry of Economy publishes additional supporting documents to the Executive Budget Proposal on new and ongoing programs on the Ministry’s website and we are glad that the Ministry receiving support from the IMF’s Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre in producing these updated documents is a good indication of commitment to budget transparency,” Mr  Mataitawakilai said.

The survey questionnaire period was from August 2016- June 2017.