THE Independent Fiscal Commission (IFC) has raised fresh concerns about the Government’s fiscal management, challenging several finance ministry explanations for missed revenue targets and warning that Jamaica lacks a clear, legislated pathway to return the country’s debt to the legally mandated ceiling of 60 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).

In its latest statement on fiscal performance tabled in Parliament recently, the fiscal watchdog questioned the credibility of several explanations provided by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MoFPS) for significant revenue shortfalls during the 2025/26 financial year and suggested that weaknesses remain in the Government’s forecasting and fiscal planning processes.

The commission’s concerns come against the backdrop of a difficult fiscal year in which Hurricane Melissa triggered an estimated $2 trillion in damage and losses, forcing the suspension of Jamaica’s fiscal rules.