Lewis Hawke, Head of the PEFA Secretariat, was invited to present at the PEFA workshop, organized by the IMF’s Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC). The workshop covered the history and overview of PEFA, the upgrades in dimensions/indicators being implemented late 2015, and the 2015 indicators. The workshop was attended by thirty three officials from sixteen CARTAC member countries.
“CARTAC showed impressive leadership on the 2015 PEFA by conducting the first comprehensive training anywhere in the world covering the upgraded Framework,” said Mr. Hawke. The agenda included background on the PEFA process, a comparison between the 2015 PEFA and the previous methodology, a review of each PEFA scoring indicator and dimension where relevant and the final report documentation. The CARTAC led presentations on the PEFA indicators and dimensions included extensive discussion from audience members on the legal and political issues relevant to individual countries as well as regional issues common to all CARTAC countries. Case study exercises provided further opportunities for countries to reflect on their existing practices and mechanisms for improvement. For example, the upgraded PEFA framework now assesses countries credible fiscal strategy. CARTAC has been working with member countries on developing a medium term macroeconomic and fiscal outlook statement to overarch the budget process, which was the subject of some discussion amongst member countries as they begin implementation during their upcoming budget processes.
An emerging practice in the Caribbean includes country officials conducting a PEFA self-assessment, prior to a formal PEFA assessment that may be led by a donor organization. The workshop provided the necessary training to undertake these assessments, providing country officials an opportunity to identify reporting and documentation needed for the formal assessment, while also providing much needed validation of their PFM reform program. The training also reinforced the requirement for countries to own and participate more actively in the formal PEFA assessment. The PEFA framework is designed to assist countries with their PFM reform agenda, and should not be seen as a way to put countries under external scrutiny, a point that was stressed throughout the workshop.
During the workshop, those countries with a PEFA planned to be conducted in 2015 indicated their clear desire to utilize the 2015 PEFA testing version, providing a strong endorsement of the revised version.
For more information on the event, please refer to the CARTAC website: http://cartac.org/event/public-expenditure-and-financial-accountability-workshop/
