import levy cuts: short term suggestions

Short term suggestions

There are clear short-term impacts on the budget and the ability of the country to govern itself.

Government could defer any import levy reforms to the 2007-08 financial year, using the next financial year as an introduction to consultative, transparent and accountable steps towards any such reforms. This would contribute to economic and fiscal stability and predictable governance; increasing public confidence that proper due process is being followed.

Income from the delayed reforms could be directed towards a more strategic approach:

> conduct an independent social impact assessment into import levy reforms and other PICTA related policies, including the environmental impacts, such as from cheap imports, and the vulnerability or otherwise of the national position with regards to world trade liberalisation efforts,

> labour surveys, as suggested by MFEM and others,

> migration surveys, as suggested by MFEM and others,

> tourism surveys, including visitor satisfaction and sustainability,

> media surveys, including possible reintroduction of a state broadcaster with robust statutory independence provisions as per the BBC to improve public access to state information and levels of public debate.

> begin seeking long-term solutions to continued failures in proper due process of  governance efforts.

Import levy cuts: long term suggestions
Import levy cuts: conclusion
Import levy cuts: whole submission