Quarterly treasury reports are a push in the right direction – for once

The Herald of 6 March 2007 reported that the Ministry of Finance has re-introduced quarterly treasury reports. Quarterly treasury reports give a summary of government capital expenditure and revenue for the period. Market participants therefore can now easily access information on government domestic debt, the budget deficit and tax collections.

This development is good for the economy. It helps develop a common knowledge of data and information on public sector activities that are critical to investors’ decisions. The government’s position can be further enhanced if it also starts disseminating clear statements of macroeconomic and financial policies, while also making itself available to provide clarification to investors when it is needed.