Public Financial Management: Principal Issues in Small Pacific Island Countries

Author/Editor:

Klaus-Walter Riechel

Publication Date:

February 1, 2002

Electronic Access:

Free Download. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: This Policy Dicussion Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

The paper discusses reform in public financial management in small, resource-constrained economies such as the Pacific island countries (PICs). It describes the efforts undertaken by PICs in the past and assesses their results. A principal conclusion is that reform in public financial management needs to be defined against the capacity of countries to sustain it at the national level. This requires a careful definition of priorities for action and the determination of appropriate pacing and sequencing of reform. In this decision, achievement of the imperatives of expenditure control and sustainability of deficits is typically more important than exploitation of the scope for efficiency gains promised by "cutting edge" public financial management systems.

Series:

Policy Discussion Paper No. 2002/001

Subject:

Accrual accounting Budget planning and preparation Fiscal policy Fiscal transparency Public financial management (PFM)

English

Publication Date:

February 1, 2002

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451974973/1564-5193

Stock No:

PPIEA0012002

Pages:

21

Please address any questions about this title to publications@imf.org