ICGFM Conference Polls
From 23rd Annual ICGFM conference in Miami
Polling provided thanks to Grant Thornton LLP
Discussion at
http://icgfm.blogspot.com/2009/05/public-financial-management-key-to

In what region of the world do you
normally reside?
50%
1. Africa
2. Europe
3. Asia/Pacific
28%
4. North America
5. South America
15%
5%
2%
1 2 3 4 5

May 2008 – BBC Headline “Oil Prices May Hit $200
a barrel”
What was the peak oil price since then and what
is the price today? 47%
1. $210 peak, $40 today
2. $145 peak, $56 today
3. $127 peak, $40 today
24%
4. $175 peak, $45 today
17%
12%
1 2 3 4

May 2008 Headline –
“IMF cuts global growth forecast after credit
crisis”
What did the IMF predict for global growth one year ago and
what does it predict today? 29%
25%
24%
1. +2%, +.5% 22%
2. +2.7%, -.5%
3. +3.3%, -1%
4. +3.7%, -1.5%
1 2 3 4

How long do you believe it will take before
the global economy begins to grow again?
54%
Six Months
One Year
Two Years
More than Two Years
21% 23%
3%
1 2 3 4

Does your country face some of the same
deficits and challenges that the US faces?
72%
Yes
No
Uncertain
16%
12%
1 2 3

Do you believe that government financial management
professionals have an important role to play in stating
the facts and speaking the truth in connecting with key
government financial issues?
92%
Yes
No
Uncertain
5% 4%
1 2 3

Are you willing to do your part to promote
government responsibility and accountability
today in order to create a better tomorrow?
33% 33% 33%
Yes
No
Maybe
1 2 3

Do you believe the G20 has taken
sufficient steps to resolve the crisis?
1. Yes 70%
2. No
3. Uncertain
24%
6%
1 2 3

Should the path to renewal growth be a return
to pre-crisis robust growth, or should the world
embark on a fundamentally different path?
1. Yes, emphasis 70%
should be on growth
recovery
2. No, new investments
should aim at
sustainable, green 21%
global growth. 9%
3. Other
1 2 3

Are reform of IMF and World Bank
necessary before providing those with
more resources to deal with the crisis?
57%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don’t Know
30%
13%
1 2 3

Do you agree or disagree that there should be an
international capital markets regulator with
authority above national regulators?
56%
1. Agree
2. Disagree
3. Uncertain
32%
12%
1 2 3

Do you believe your government would
relinquish power to regulate capital
markets to an international regulator?
70%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe
17%
13%
1 2 3

Is your country facing a local banking
crisis?
59%
1. Yes
2. No
39%
3. Uncertain
2%
1 2 3

Did the financial crisis impact your
domestic financing of infrastructure?
68%
1. Positive impact
2. Negative impact
3. Unknown
15% 17%
1 2 3

Are PPPs an important source of finance
for public infrastructure in your country?
44%
41%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
14%
1 2 3

What do you think is the main reason PPPs
are adopted?
40%
1. Value for money
2. Risk transfer
3. Source of finance 23%
4. To privatize
15% 15%
5. Political reasons
6. Other
5%
2%
1 2 3 4 5 6

Do you think your government adequately
communicates with your local media
concerning economic events?
67%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Uncertain
26%
6%
1 2 3

Do you think your local media adequately
reports on economic events in your
country?
74%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Uncertain
20%
5%
1 2 3

If your country receives donor funding,
have you seen a change since the
economic crisis?
53%
1. We have seen an
increase in donor
commitments 39%
2. No change
3. We have seen a
decrease in donor
commitments 8%
1 2 3

Do you believe your government does a
good job of utilizing and coordinating
donor aid?
68%
1. They do a good job
2. They do an inadequate
job
3. Uncertain
22%
10%
1 2 3

Is your country using recommendations
and good practices that emerge from
international conferences on Public
Finance?
63%
1. Yes, we integrate many
recommendations
2. No, we tend not to
incorporate them
3. Uncertain 18% 20%
1 2 3

Does your government effectively keep
citizens informed about public spending?
55%
1. Yes
2. No 44%
3. Uncertain
1%
1 2 3

Is your government’s lack of effectiveness
due to:
62%
1. Lack of will
2. Lack of know how
3. Lack of resource
4. Other
17%
14%
8%
1 2 3 4

Which of the following statements would
best describe your country’s efforts
towards PFM Reform
1. We have a formal program of 68%
public financial management
reform
2. We are developing a formal
program
3. We do not have a formal
program but we intend to
introduce reforms soon
4. We do not plan to have a
formal program nor will we be 16%
introducing reforms soon 13%
5. Do not know/Does not apply 3%
0%
1 2 3 4 5

What factors/issues influenced your
country’s decision to implement public
financial management reform?
30%
1. Increase
involvement/awareness of citizens
26%
2. Improve effectiveness of budget 24%
expenditure
3. Increase transparency of
government operations
4. Improve accountability to
government and business
stakeholders
5. To meet requirements from the 9%
donor community 6%
6. Other 4%
7. Do not know/Does not apply 1%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

What is the most important resource that
your government needs in order to
accomplish its goals for PFM reform?
1. Technical assistance
2. Loans 32%
3. Donor-coordinated trust funds
4. Legal frameworks 24%
5. Training for employees
6. Exchange programs
7. Automated financial
management systems 13%
8. Other 11%
9. Do not know/does not apply 5%
4% 4% 4%
3%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

If Technical Assistance was selected for the
previous question, what type of TA is your
government’s PFM priority?
1. Country system diagnostic work 33%
2. Budget preparation
3. Budget execution
4. Accounting and financial reporting
5. External oversight
6. Information access
7. Reforms at the national level 16%
8. Reforms at the sub-national level
9. Implementation of an integrated Financial 10% 10%
9% 9%
Management Information System
0. Other 5% 5%
3%
0%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The IMF defines transparency in government operations
as: Openness toward the public at large about
government structure and functions, fiscal policy
intentions, public sector accounts, and projections. Do
you agree with this definition?
33% 33% 33%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
1 2 3

Does your legislative branch (Parliament)
have independent budget expertise?
1. Yes 60%
2. No
3. Unsure 38%
1%
1 2 3

Is your country enacting a stimulus
spending bill to counter the economic
conditions?
60%
Yes
No
38%
Unsure
3%
1 2 3

Has a PEFA assessment been carried out in
your country?
36%
1. Yes 34%
2. No 30%
3. Unknown
1 2 3

Have you personally been involved in the
PEFA assessment work?
67%
1. No
2. Yes, as an assessment team
member
3. Yes, as a supervisor or report
reviewer
4. Yes, providing information to
the assessment team
5. Yes, as a user of the final 15%
assessment report 10%
8%
0%
1 2 3 4 5

Do you believe that the use of the PEFA
Framework could have a positive impact
on PFM reform in your country?
72%
1. Yes
2. No
3. No opinion
22%
6%
1 2 3