$44.7 Billion Supplementary budget passed; Housing Ministry to receive additional $21 Billion

The Opposition APNU+AFC boycotted today’s sitting while describing the supplementary provisions as a “slush fund” of the Government.

$44.7 Billion Supplementary budget passed; Housing Ministry to receive additional $21 Billion

In a session filled with government ministers questioning fellow government Ministers in the Committee of Supplies, the National Assembly this afternoon approved $44.7 Billion in supplementary provisions for government spending. The supplementary budget came just six months after the government got approval for its $552.9 billion 2022 budget, which was already almost 50% more than the previous year’s budget.

The Opposition APNU+AFC boycotted today’s sitting while describing the supplementary provisions as a “slush fund” of the Government.

The government today approved over $12.2 billion under its current programmes and $32.5 billion to cater for capital works. 

The majority of the money will go towards addressing issues in education, health  and agriculture.

From the allocation, some $250 million will be dedicated to youth empowerment projects.

The Ministry of Housing and Water has been allocated $21 billion which is the largest supplemental provision.

 Of that amount, $15.9 billion will be going to facilitate infrastructural works in new and existing housing areas with an additional $250.2 million to facilitate the completion of water supply interventions in hinterland areas; $4.231 billion to cater for additional upgrading of coastal water supply infrastructure as well as extending service to unserved and underserved areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture received $5.4 billion with $3.4 billion going to GUYSUCO.

The Office of the Prime Minister has been allocated a further $50 million for the provision of additional resources to support new developmental and humanitarian initiatives, while $3 Billion was allocated to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to aid in the development of hinterland communities.

The sum of $1.296 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Local Government and a further $250M to the Ministry of Public Service.

The Ministry of Public Works was given another $4.439 billion for a number of projects, including  $233 million for fixing identified defects during the ongoing project to rehabilitate 28 pontoons; $525 million for the advancement of preliminary works to support the East Bank-East Coast road linkage project; $3 billion for the upgrading of miscellaneous roads and drains; $550 million for the completion of the critical sea and river defence works among other major projects to be undertaken by the Ministry.

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