******Source- Caribbeannationalweekly.com, Micaiah Morgan, First Published March,09, 2023
Jamaica’s outgoing Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Courtney Williams is Jamaica’s first Fiscal Commissioner after being sworn in last Friday, March 3.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Dr. Nigel Clarke, the Finance and Public Service minister.
Williams was sworn in at King’s House by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen on the advice of Prime Minister Andrew Holness and after consultation with Opposition Leader Mark Golding.
The Fiscal Commissioner heads the Independent Fiscal Commission.
Clarke shared that the new fiscal commissioner is a veteran of the Ministry of Finance who previously spent three years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He was also appointed deputy financial secretary before being recruited by the Ministry of National Security where he has served as Permanent Secretary since 2020.
“He will be the guardian and interpreter of Jamaica’s fiscal rules and will be required to monitor adherence to these rules and provide independent assessment of budgetary outcomes in addition to independent analysis,” Clarke added.
Clarke said that as a country “we must protect the gains of the economic recovery and …the path of fiscal responsibility that Jamaica has pursued for a decade and which has delivered results for us as a country”.
Williams began his public sector career as a senior fiscal economist in the Fiscal Policy Management Unit (FPMU) of the Ministry of Finance in 1995 and served as senior director of the FPMU from 2005 – 2016.
He also spearheaded the development and implementation of Jamaica’s Fiscal Responsibility Framework and directed the management of fiscal operations, ensuring Jamaica’s strong performance under IMF-supported Programmes.
Courtney Williams also led negotiations for Jamaica’s first Development Policy Loan from the World Bank in 2009 and has served on several boards and committees, including:
- Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Jamaica, Director, 2012-2016
- Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Director and Audit Committee Chairman 2012-2016
- Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission, Board Member, 2001-2002
- United Nations (UN), Member of Committee on Contributions, 2008-2011
