This report is a compilation of these articles. We hope that our analyses will represent an objective appraisal of the economy and the Budget of 1997-98 and will be of some use to readers. Social Policy and Development Centre, which focuses on policy analysis, in particular social sector policy, has analysed the budget. These analysis cover a wide spectrum of issues and impacts. Debt management, consistency between policy instruments and targets, the budgetary outcome 1996-97, NFC Award 1996 and impact of budgetary allocations on social sector development and poverty are some of the areas looked into by our researchers.