The 2020 budget estimates for the government of St. Kitts and Nevis were revealed on Thursday, and the government is proposing to spend almost $849 million dollars in the upcoming year.
This represents a more than $100 million increase over the budgeted expenditure for 2019.
Prime Minister and Minster of Finance Timothy Harris laid the Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019 in the National Assembly on Thursday. This Bill provides for the services of St. Kitts and Nevis for the financial year commencing 1st January 2020 and ending on 31st December 2020.
EC$848.9 million is being proposed to support recurrent and capital expenditure, with most of the ministries registering a proposed increased budgetary allotment.
-$2.2 mil for the Governor General
-$2.2 mil for the Parliament
-$1.3 mil for the Audit Office
– $52,572,584 for the Ministry of Justice, Legal Affairs and Communications
– $47,588,964 for the Office of the Prime Minister
– $99,200,710 for the Ministry of National Security
-$4,987,965 for the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Commerce
-$272,526,724 for the Ministry of Finance
-$37,664,611 for the Ministry of Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs
-$15,978,216 for the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Cooperatives and Environment
-$35,247,996 for the Ministry of Tourism
-$83,564,118 for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Post, Urban Development and Transport
-$89,912,832 for the Ministry of Education
-$61,953,408 for the Ministry of Health
-$15,734,436 for the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture
-$19,214,587 for the Ministry of Sustainable Development
-$20,658,393 for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Aviation
-$13,919,585 for the Office of the Attorney General
-$3,409,359 for the Ministry of Nevis Affairs, Labour, Social Security, and Ecclesiastical Affairs
The government is projecting to earn some $856 million in revenue in 2020.
The Prime Minister said the 2020 budget reflects a fifth consecutive year of positive economic growth and fiscal surplus, an indication that the country is heading in the right direction.
The Budget debate will commence Friday, December 12.