Economic Digest 40 – MTBPS 2023 – Robbing Peter to pay Paul? by Kenny Pasensie

Before a new movie or series debuts in movie theatres or on streaming platforms, producers will release trailers to entice us to watch their product. Often, after watching the trailer and then the movie or series, there’s a feeling of having been let down: the three-minute trailer was either much better than the final product or it completely misrepresented it. The Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, which provides a preview of government’s public finance plans over the next three years, often ends up like a trailer. It is also instructive to remember that Budget 2024 will be delivered in an election year. Thus, we should bear in mind the words of Irish playwright and literary critic, George Bernard Shaw: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

Economic Digest 40 – MTBPS 2023 – Robbing Peter to pay Paul by Kenny Pasensie