A round-up of public finance news stories from Latin America & Caribbean you might have missed this week (June 24-28).
Protest-hit Brazil 'missed chance' to improve services
Brazil "lost a great opportunity" to improve public services when it won the right to host the 2014 football World Cup, Rio de Janeiro's mayor says. Eduardo Paes told the BBC that Brazil should have seized the occasion to invest in healthcare, education and transport (BBC)
Paraguay poised to become fastest growing economy
Paraguay's economy expanded by 14.8% in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, driven mainly by farming, cattle-ranching and construction activity, the central bank said. GDP surged by 8.8% in the first quarter versus the fourth quarter of 2012. (MercoPress South Atlantic news agency)
Zacca Proposes Zero Input Tax For Jamaican Exporters
Contending that the current tax system might be creating distortions that damage the international competitiveness of local businesses, Christopher Zacca, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), is asking for rapid passage of laws facilitating tax reform. (The Gleaner, Jamaica)
World Bank gives Haiti $20m to tidy public records
The Haitian Government has received budgetary support of $20m from the World Bank with the aim, among others, to improve the efficiency of public spending in Haiti, especially in the system of accountability and making them more transparent (Sentinel, Haiti)
Cayman Islands' financial reporting system has failed
Although Cayman Islands government entities are now reporting financial statements in a more timely manner, Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick said Tuesday that ‘continuing deficiencies’ in getting useful financial information to local lawmakers and the general public has never been achieved. (CayCompass.com, Cayman Islands)
Venezuela supports Ecuador's decision to abandon customs exemptions from US
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that Ecuador could count on the ‘support and solidarity’ of his country after the refusal from trade preferences granted by the United States. This was reported by Venezuelan TV channel Telesur (Tass news agency)
Paraguay and Mexico advancing towards an economic complementation accord
Technical groups from Paraguay and Mexico are progressing with talks for the creation of an economic complementation accord in the framework of the Latam Integration Association, ALADI, which is considered the ‘step previous to a full free trade treaty’, reported from Asuncion Paraguay’s foreign ministry. (MercoPress South Atlantic News Agency)
