The Government and the private sector have started negotiations to create a proposal for fiscal reform, which could include, among other things, changes aimed at achieving the financial sustainability of the Social Security scheme.
Without revealing details of the first sessions, the Higher Council of Private Enterprise (Cosep) reported that the reform negotiated with the authorities is focused on preventing insolvency of the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute and guaranteeing the country's economic growth.
In 2016 the size of the governments in the Central American countries grew very little, the tax burden reached 14.3%, and the average fiscal deficit was about 2.8% of GDP.
From the department of Fiscal Outlook for Central America, from the report "Macrofiscal Profiles: 7th Edition", by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
From 2014 to 2015 the size of central governments remained constant at an average 18.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).
From the introduction of the report: "Macrofiscal Profiles: 6th Edition" by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
2015 proved to be a period of low tax advance for the Central American region. On average, the size of central governments remained constant compared to 2014, at 18.5% of gross domestic product (GDP). However, not all nations maintained this trend in the same way. While the governments of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador, some of the largest fiscally in the region, continued to increase their participation in the economy, reporting increases of 1.5, 0.7 and 0.7% of GDP, respectively, the Government of Guatemala - one of the smallest in the world became even smaller, being reduced by 1.2% of GDP. For its part, the Government of Honduras reported a small decrease of 0.2% of GDP, fully converged with its policy of fiscal austerity, while that of Panama had a transient contraction of 1.4%, reflecting a reorganization established by the new administration and that, according to the plans for 2016, will be reversed in full.
As in old fashioned patriarchal homes, if there must be suffering, the first to suffer are the stepchildren, and only afterwards, if necessary, the legitimate children.
EDITORIAL
The announcement by the Solis administration that it has a plan B in case it does not manage to get legislative approval for the proposed tax increases designed to address the serious and growing fiscal deficit, highlights the existence in Costa Rica of first class citizens and second class citizens.
The agency has changed the outlook from stable to negative, warning that there is still a lack a political consensus for approving a fiscal adjustment to reduce costs and improve the debt / GDP ratio.
The lack of political consensus to reduce the fiscal deficit will continue to put pressure on the government's rising debt burden.
While the Northern Triangle countries strive to reduce or at least maintain constant levels of debt / GDP, Costa Rica and Panama move further away from fiscal discipline, the former at the greatest pace.
From the introduction of a report entitled "Macrofiscal Profiles : 4th Edition." by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
In the area of prioritizing economic stability over the availability of resources to finance development, the countries of the northern triangle in Central America, have generally shown a significant effort to reduce or at least maintain constant levels are Debt / GDP and the fiscal deficit, which means that, tacitly, the fiscal rule of zero growth of public debt is being used, despite the impact this may have on the welfare of the people.
Very dark is the future of a country where the rulers do not lift their gaze beyond the few years of the mandate conferred on them by citizens.
EDITORIAL
The president of Costa Rica prefers short-term actions to address the fiscal crisis, while leaving open the tap of privileged public wages by which the future of the nation drowns through.
It is clear that immediate measures need to be taken such as reducing tax evasion and smuggling, and cutting abusive pensions. And it is quite possible that in order to maintain the rule of law taxes also need to be raised. But not closing, RIGHT NOW the growing cascade of state payroll costs that is multiplying every year, means mortgaging the future of the Costa Rican economy. However, president Solis postpones dealing with the topic, because its impact would be felt "only after 15 or 18 years."
With the exception of improvements in Nicaragua and Honduras, in the rest of the Central American countries problems in public finances range from latent in Panama and already serious in Guatemala, to critical in Costa Rica and El Salvador.
From the report "Macrofiscal Profiles: 4th Edition" by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
"Fiscal accounts for 2015 anticipate an additional burden of concerns about the sustainability of the public finances of the governments of the region."
From a report entitled "Macrofiscal Profiles: 3rd Edition" by the Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
The close of fiscal year 2014 has left more uncertainties than certainties in the current panorama for Central America.
The technical redefinitions that make up a successful tax reform should be based on a reformulation of the social contract which establishes national goals.
Nacion.com reports that "According to Augusto de la Torre, Chief Economist at the World Bank, the fiscal debate is more than just an economic debate, it is almost a philosophical debate about the kind of state we want to have."
Business leaders agree with a recommendation from the International Monetary Fund that the Government should rationalize government expenditure, especially subsidies.
Commenting on the issue Jose Adan Aguirre, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), said, "The private sector shared with the IMF that the government needs to control spending."