Nice proposals in budget but implementation the key, says Ceylon Chamber
View(s):While welcoming the proposals in the proposed 2018 National Budget, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) says implementation – as always – is the crucial point.
“It is important to have confidence that the government is serious about each of the many proposals announced in the 2018 budget. Too often we have seen ambitious and laudable proposals confined to the budget speech with the lack of implementation creating an environment of policy uncertainty. There is a lack of attempt made to implement and honour these pledges. Some previous proposals that have remained unimplemented in recent budgets, are repeated in the 2018 budget. We call on the government to take serious steps to implement the announced proposals so as to improve the credibility of government,” the chamber said in a media statement this week.
It said that there is a distinct move in the 2018 Budget towards putting into action strategies outlined in Vision 2025 and the Prime Minister’s economic policy statement of October 2017. This is particularly the case with initiatives such as boosting trade and investment, improving housing ownership and the development of SMEs. The chamber said it welcomes the proposals to drive Sri Lanka to becoming a more environmental-friendly economy with an emphasis on improving access to finance for the development of enterprises, SMEs and start-ups.
“While we see many proposals complimenting the medium-term vision of the government beyond 2018, it is important that the government does not waiver in the near-term from the current fiscal consolidation path. The budget deficit target of 4.6 per cent of GDP set out for 2017 in last year’s budget is expected to miss its target by 0.6 per cent in 2017. While this is due to a higher interest expenditure than forecasted, it would have been mitigated if revenue grew as forecasted with the successful implementation of revenue proposals in the 2017 Budget,” the statement said.
It welcomed the initiative to set up an Implementation Unit to monitor the progress of the proposals outlined in the speech. “We look forward to the operationalisation of such a unit given a similar proposal was announced in the 2017 Budget as well with a committee proposed comprising members of the private and public sector to monitor the implementation process,” it said.
Referring to this new unit, the chamber said it was willing to engage with this proposed unit to provide feedback and input from the private sector on proposals that offer value to industry. “It is important for the proposed policies to be operationalised with specific timelines put in place beyond preliminary indications outlined in the 2018 Budget speech,” the statement added
Expressing some concerns, the chamber said while there is less ambiguity in a majority of the proposals, certain measures could have a negative impact on industry if implemented as mentioned in the 2018 Budget. Measures to raise revenue through new levies (Special Levy for Debt Repayment and Cellular Tower Levy) could adversely impact industries that are also facing regulatory, investment and external challenges. Proposals such as this and removal of para tariffs, reforming existing laws/acts and VAT exemptions (such as in the sale of condominium housing units) will require further clarification and input from the private sector before implementation, it said.
The CCC said the budget should not be viewed as an all-encompassing policy document of the government. “Instead, National Budgets should focus on actionable outcomes within the relatively short time period of a year while facilitating the long-term vision. Further, National Budgets should shift from imposing overnight tax changes that have proved in the past to be of a disruptive nature for businesses and instead, aim to provide grace periods for implementation of medium to long-term tax plans. The 2018 Budget provides a good foundation for budgets to be viewed in this light,” it said.