Premier Paula Cox has pledged to get taxpayers more involved in the Government’s spending decisions and policy making.The Finance Minister said in her Budget statement on Friday she planned to begin work shortly on developing a more transparent method of setting the annual plan to improve accountability. Three Ministries will be used in a pilot of the scheme this year.Ms Cox said: “Citizens must have the right to know what resources are spent on what policies and what the results of Government policies are.“With the introduction of the new framework, over time we will have a Budget which is more widely understood and a system in which there is greater accountability for results.”The Premier told MPs that open budgeting was an effective and strategic budget tool and would foster more “people-engagement” and participation in the country’s spending decisions.“Although Bermuda is already advanced and transparent with this information…there is always room for improvement,” she said.“The open budget process will further empower our people by giving them more information about their Government, about spending decisions and how their taxes are being used.”Ms Cox promised that blogs and Internet comment sites would be launched to collect input from individuals and business.“The open budget approach effectively allows the public a bigger say in the public sector,” she added.“It encourages them to become active partners in the formulation, implementation and oversight of the budget process.“In order for our citizens to become part of that process, we must provide them with timely, comprehensive information and a medium by which they can participate.“Our hope is that by encouraging greater public involvement, we will stimulate better feedback and engagement.“This will apply not only to specific budget programmes but also to policy formulation.”Yesterday, she answered a question on how the structure would work at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce’s post-Budget breakfast at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.“We’ll be starting work on this initiative in the first quarter of this year,” Ms Cox said.“In order for citizens and other stakeholders to fully participate in formulation, implementation and oversight of public policies and budgets, they must have access to information.“I might also suggest that we’ll be providing more information even prior to the implementation of public access to information (PATI) legislation.“The open budget process provides the public with an opportunity to have input into how their money will be allocated and provides an opportunity for them to obtain information on how their money is being spent, once the Budget has been approved.”Open budget required active participation by the public, so their views could be part of the whole budgetary process of proposing, debating, implementation and evaluation, the Premier added.“It also requires active participation by our constituents in our Budget policy that deals with who pays the taxes, what taxes and how much money goes to specific programmes to address the needs of the needy and the vulnerable.“Also, the open budget process deals with Budget rules, regulations and institutions. The aim is to make them stronger and better able to resist mismanagement and ensure more efficient and effective use of public resources.”The 2011/12 Budget allocates $210,000 for PATI and three employees to work on implementing the law.There was zero in the 2010/11 Budget for the legislation, which was passed in the House of Assembly last year and is meant to be implemented over several years.A Government spokeswoman said yesterday the Ministry of Finance would not comment on questions about spending on PATI until parliamentary debate on the Budget begins next week.l See Business, Page 22