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Government Supplementary Budget for 2019 Revealed

St. Kitts and Nevis - The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has released its supplementary budget for 2019, which shows a significant decrease in expenditures compared to the previous year.

Key Findings

  • The government approved an additional $56 million to cover unexpected expenses, down from $128 million in 2018.
  • The breakdown of the supplementary budget reveals that several ministries and departments requested funds to cover personal emoluments, displacement and duty allowances for security forces officers, uniform expenses, and other miscellaneous expenditures.

Ministry Allocations

Ministry of Education

  • Received an additional $4.7 million to cover personal emoluments for teachers at early childhood, primary, and secondary schools in St. Kitts.
  • Funding was also provided to support subventions to the Early Childhood Unit for the months of October to December 2019.

Ministry of Health

  • Allocated an additional $6.8 million to facilitate payment to the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) in relation to the National Waste Bin Distribution Programme, as well as funds to purchase pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.

Other Notable Allocations

  • An additional $1.5 million was provided to support the Carnival Committee for extra costs related to the 2018-2019 carnival celebrations.
  • Funding was also allocated for travel arrangements to Trinidad for CARIFESTA XIV and hosting of two international home series.

Capital Expenditure Budget

  • The capital expenditure budget for 2019 was revised from $150 million to $303 million to include funds required for various projects, including:
    • Purchase of a building for the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs
    • Hurricane Relief Programme
    • Land Redemption Project
    • Rehabilitation of Old Road Bay
  • Actual expenditure for capital projects for 2019 amounted to $267 million, representing 88% of the revised budget.

Audit Concerns

  • Auditors have expressed concerns that departments are not adequately planning and budgeting for their expenditures, leading to requests for additional funds to cover allowances, office expenses, and other miscellaneous expenditures.
  • The National Audit Office has recommended that ministries and departments budget more effectively in the future to avoid similar situations.

Full Report Availability

The full report can be accessed on the government’s website.