Budget 2024 gets stamp of approval

The 2024 National Budget passed through all of its stages in the House of Assembly on Wednesday January 10, without much debate.

This year’s Budget was delivered by Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves on Monday afternoon, January 8.

On Tuesday morning, it was the turn of the Opposition Leader Dr Godwin Friday to make his response to the 2024 financial package.

Usually, the response from the Opposition Leader paves the way for days of robust and sometimes heated debate which draws participation from members of both sides of the House, excluding the Attorney General.

This year, the debate was expected to continue up to today, Friday January, 12.

It was expected that at some time today, the finance minister would wrap up debate on the Budget, after hearing the contributions of his colleagues in Parliament.

However, shortly after midday on Wednesday, the Budget was approved in Parliament after very little debate.

Apart from the Opposition Leader, only three other members contributed to the debate.

These members are Minister of Agriculture, Saboto Caesar and Minister of Transport and Works Montgomery Daniel on the Government’s side.

Senator Shevern John is the only Member on the Opposition benches to have contributed to the 2024 Budget debate.

These contributions were all made after the luncheon period on Tuesday.

When the sitting of the House resumed on Wednesday for a continuation of debate, the Speaker made several calls for “further debate” but there were just moments of continued silence.

This prompted Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves to rise and invite the Speaker for the proceedings on the budget to be wrapped up.

Opposition Member for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings raised concern about this, saying that he had already indicated to the Speaker his decision not to speak before Minister of Health, St Clair Prince.

Cummings explained that as the Opposition’s shadow Minister of Health, he wanted to hear Prince’s contribution before making a response.

Prince was absent from Parliament due to the death of his mother.

Although taken by surprise to wrap up on Wednesday, the finance minister used a little less than his allotted three hours to close off debate on the 2024 National Budget which was then approved by Members.

The 2024 Budget for $1.62 billion consists of Current Expenditure of $835.4 million and Current Revenue of $810.9 million, with Capital receipts of $805.6 million.