Last Updated on December 13, 2019, 5:11 AM AST by Chris Matthew
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr Timothy Harris on Thursday, December 12, presented before the National Assembly the Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, of approximately EC$848.9 million for the fiscal year 2020.
The Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, is the Bill to present for the services of Saint Christopher and Nevis for the financial year beginning January 01, 2020, and concluding on December 31, 2020.
The recommended allocations which outline the proposals for both recurrent and capital expenditure are:
- Governor-General EC$2.2 million
- Federal Parliament EC$2.2 million
- Audit Office EC$1.3 million
- Ministry of Justice, Legal Affairs and Communication EC$52.5 million
- Office of the Prime Minister EC$47.5 million
- Ministry of National Security EC$99.2 million
- International Trade, Industry and Commerce EC$4.1 million
- Ministry of Finance will receive EC$272.5 million.
- Ministry of Community Development, Gender Affairs and Social Services will collect EC$37.6 million
- Ministry of Agriculture, Human Settlement, Cooperatives and the Environment will be granted EC$15.9 million
- Ministry of Tourism EC$35.2 million
- Public Infrastructure, Post and Urban Development and Transport will get EC $83.5 million
- Ministry of Education will collect EC$89.9 million
- EC$61.9 million is towards Health
- EC$15.7 will be allocated to Youth, Sport and Culture
- Ministry of Sustainable Development will be given EC$19.2 million
- Foreign Affairs and Aviation will receive EC$20.6 million
- Office of the Attorney General EC$13.9 million
- and the Ministry of Nevis Affairs, Labour, Social Security
- Ecclesiastical Affairs will receive EC$3.4 million.
Presenting the $848.9 million Budget under the theme, “Let’s Keep Building a Strong and Safer Future for St. Kitts & Nevis,” PM Harris said that his Team Unity Government “advances to make a difference in the lives of our people living here in the Federation.”
This year also marks the fifth continuous year that the Team Unity government has offered a tax-free Budget.
PM Harris said, “The chances are very good for continued growth and development of our twin-island Federation. Such great tidings also draw spirit that we would be able to implement our programs for 2020 without the foundation of new taxes. We would therefore design and make an extra effort to roll out these plans which are designed to move our country first.”
The initiation of the Appropriation (2020) Bill, 2019, came after the placing of the Estimates of Expenditure, which were approved by the Honourable House.
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