Finance Minister Tables Second Supplementary Estimates for Fiscal Year 2024/25

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, tabled the Second Supplementary Estimates for fiscal year 2024/25 in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 26).

The estimates reflect the changes resulting from the recent assignment of subjects and departments, agencies and other public bodies, which took effect on October 30, 2024.

The impacted entities are the Office of the Prime Minister, the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) and the Ministry of Education and Youth.

Following the departure of former Finance Minister, Hon. Dr. Nigel Clarke, and the succession of Minister Fayval Williams to that post, the Skills and Information portfolios, which were previously under the Office of the Prime Minister, have been moved to what is now the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.

That Ministry is being led by Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris-Dixon who previously had responsibility for the Skills and Information portfolios.

Minister Williams explained that the adjustments have no material impact on the fiscal Budget.

“The ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that are giving up subjects reflect a reduction in their approved budgets, and the amounts reviewed are reflected as increases in the MDAs to which the subjects have been assigned,” she noted.

She added: “The sums being transferred between the affected MDAs represent balances on the approved budgets of the recently assigned subjects that have not been disbursed in warrants up to October 29, 2024. These balances will be used to fund the operations of the newly assigned subjects.”

Member of Parliament for Kingston East and Port Royal, Phillip Paulwell, said the Opposition had no objection to the estimates.