THE GOVERNMENT has reduced by just under $1 billion, its planned spending for the soon-to-be concluded 2005/2006 financial year.
According to the first supplementary estimates tabled in Parliament yesterday, calculations for recurrent spending have increased by about $2.3 billion, while there has been a $3 billion decrease in estimated capital spending.
The total budget has been cut by $877 million, to $346 billion.
MORE FOR COPS, HEALTH MINISTRY
An examination of the document indicated that the police, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sport have benefited with an increase of about $1 billion each on recurrent spending.
The revised estimates indicate that the police will receive $10.48 billion in recurrent funds as opposed to the $9.5 billion outlined in the Budget last April. The increased allocation, in large part, covers an adjustment in salaries and travelling allowances amounting to $777 million, including a $622 million one-off payment last year.
The Health Ministry will receive $12.6 billion, as opposed to an initially estimated $11.5 billion. The Local Government Ministry will receive a total of $5 billion up from the $4 billion initially allocated. Of those increased funds, $600 million is for increases in electricity costs associated with street lighting.
On the capital side, the Ministry of Finance has reduced its estimated expenditure by almost $3 billion to $143 billion.
Parliament's Standing Finance Committee will examine the supplementary estimates today.
