First Supplementary Estimates To Be Tabled Within Two Weeks

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, says the first Supplementary Estimates for 2020/21 should be tabled in the House of Representatives within two weeks.

“That supplementary budget will recast [projected] revenues in light of the [coronavirus] COVID-19 pandemic… it will involve a reallocation of expenditure to be consistent with the realities that we face at this time… and will ensure that the expenditure we intend to enact for the COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Programme, goes to the Houses of Parliament,” Dr. Clarke said.

He was speaking at a digital press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Media Centre, on Monday (April 27).

The Government’s initial Budget of $852.7 billion was adjusted to $853.5 billion to reflect an additional $792 million to fund the operations of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), which is being integrated into the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology.

Dr. Clarke noted that while it was announced that space was being created in the Budget to facilitate the Government’s $10-billon CARE programme, that expenditure would not yet have been through the parliamentary process.

As such, he said once approved, “the supplementary [budget] will take care of that [CARE programme].”
Additionally, the Minister said although there was indication of plans to table the supplementary estimates, in light of the prevailing situation, “as time went on, it became clearer that it would be highly useful to have at least one month of revenue data under the covid circumstances, before we try to recast 12 months of data”.

“So, by the time we table the supplementary [budget], we should have preliminary estimates of revenues for April during this COVID period,” he informed.

Dr. Clarke emphasised the importance of securing the revenue out-turn for April, as “that would give some indication of how the remaining 11 months of the fiscal year are likely to transpire”.