THE GOVERNMENT has increased the 2002/2003 Budget by just over $13.4 billion, most of which will go towards housekeeping expenditures, including salary increases for its employees and increased spending on the police and the military.
The Ministry of National Security received almost an additional $1 billion, including over $100 million more for salaries for Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers and the Jamaica Constabulary Force nearly $200 million more for police salaries and allowances as well as increases to cover new crime fighting equipment.
Nearly $200 million more was allocated for salaries and remuneration for Members of Parliament.
The estimates also included $349 million more to meet the expenses for the Local Government elections scheduled for early next year, bringing the total budget for that election to $698 million.
In terms of the capital allocations the military is allocated $265 million for additional vehicles and boats.
The Ministry of Justice is to get $130 million more to complete construction of the new Horizon Remand Centre on Spanish Town Road in Kingston.
There are also increases for the Special Anti-Crime Task Force (SACTF), the Mobile Reserve and the Motorised Patrol. The SACTF's budget has been increased by $72 million from $24 million to $96 million.
Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Omar Davies, who tabled the First Supplementary Estimates in Parliament yesterday, is expected to outline how the additional expenses will be funded on Tuesday. The Standing Finance Committee will meet at 10 a.m. the same day to examine the estimates.
The Estimates show an increase in the budget from just over $210 billion to $223.5 billion. The increase includes just under $15.4 billion in recurrent expenditure and a reduction of $1.9 billion on the capital side.
In an effort to meet expenses associated with salaries, grants and contributions, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture has been allocated an additional $2.3 billion, while the Ministry of Health is to receive an additional $2.4 billion.
The budget for the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, formerly Ministry of Tourism and Sport, has been cut from $2.1 billion to just over $2 billion; the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sport has been increased to $3.8 billion from just over $2 billion, and the Ministry of Finance and Planning saw a cut from $5.1 billion to $4.2 billion. The Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology, formerly Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology, also saw a downward revision of its budget to $858.6 million from $860.7 million.
Some of the changes result from revised requirements as a result of the transfer of the sport function, the promotion of arts and culture, as well as revised requirements to meet the cost of solid waste management due to the shortfall in property tax collection. They also result from changes to certain other ministries and departments following the October 16 general election.
The budget of the Department of Correctional Services has been increased to compensate more than 600 prison warders who were reinstated in the service in May, this year. The cost of reinstatement associated with this financial year is about $300 million.
Among others receiving an increase are: The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions - $34.9 million; the Family Court - $19.5 million; Supreme Court - $71.1 million; Resident Magistrate's Courts - $108.8 million; Attorney General's Department - $154.7 million; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade - $$143.9 million; Ministry of Labour and Social Security - $348.6 million.
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) suffered a $120 million cut in its budget for direction and administration and a $25 million cut in the budget for overseas representation and regional offices, but the budget for overseas marketing got a $137 million boost.
The Ministry of Finance had severe cuts in a number of areas including in terms of: Fiscal Services Limited; the Customs computerisation project ($25 million); and the computerisation of the Revenue Services ($75.7 million).
The Jamaica Social Investment Fund which also comes under the Finance Ministry has a $118 million cut in its original $300 million budget.
But the Ministry receives $200 million more to meet additional requirements for Government pensioners.
