Mmegi

Analysis paralysis and the approaching fiscal storm

Raising the alarm: Mogae was amongst the earliest Finance Ministers to signal serious concerns about the undiversified economy
Raising the alarm: Mogae was amongst the earliest Finance Ministers to signal serious concerns about the undiversified economy

The country’s weakened fiscal position, seen in delayed payments and salaries, rising public debt as well as a liquidity crunch, comes after decades of policymakers knowing all the solutions but failing to accelerate reforms quickly enough. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI reports

The gap between knowing what to do and doing it, has been the proverbial thorn in the side of public sector policymakers and the reforms they have attempted to make over the decades since the discovery of diamonds.

For those tracking the numbers, the current fiscal challenge is not about the past months. The fiscal crisis now manifesting in reports of government delaying to settle some payments, parastatals postponing paydays for employees and rising public debt, can be seen as far back as a decade ago, when mineral revenues entered a downward slide.

Editor's Comment
Public servants deserve better than union infighting

‘The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one uniting working people of all nations and tongues and kindreds’.- Abraham LincolnUntil then, the Council’s operations remain suspended, delaying critical decisions affecting thousands of public sector employees.The current standoff is between the Manual Workers Union on one side and the Six Cooperating Trade Unions, namely BONU, BOPEU, BTU, BDU, BOSETU and...

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