Government Presents Budget of $773.6 Billion for 2018/19

The Government intends to spend $773.6 billion for fiscal year 2018/19, with $560 billion allocated for recurrent (house-keeping) expenses and $213.6 billion for capital (development) projects.

Details of the projections are outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives today (February 15) by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw.

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has been allocated the largest sum, with $240 billion for recurrent expenses and $155 billion for capital expenditure.

A large portion of the sum will go towards meeting Jamaica’s debt obligations.

Large sums have also been allocated to several other ministries by the Government.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information gets the second-largest amount with $103 billion for recurrent expenses and $1.6 billion for capital spending.

The Ministry of Health has been allocated $64 billion for recurrent expenses and $2.16 billion for capital projects, while the Ministry of National Security has received $66 billion for recurrent expenditure and $12.4 billion for capital projects.

For the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, $12.7 billion has been allocated for recurrent and $21 billion for capital; Ministry of Justice, $7.7 billion for recurrent and $1.8 billion for capital; and Office of the Prime Minister, $5.89 billion, recurrent and $5.5 billion, capital.