State Opening of Parliament on April 2

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, has informed that the State Opening of Parliament will take place on Thursday, April 2, with the Governor General, delivering the Throne Speech.
The Governor-General will outline the Government’s programmes and policies for the 2009/2010 fiscal year.
Later in the day, the House of Representatives will convene its first official sitting with Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, tabling the Estimates of Expenditure, which sets out Government spending for the fiscal year. The estimates will provide details on how the programmes will be funded and what the various Ministries and agencies will receive for Recurrent (house-keeping) and Capital (development) expenses. The Standing Finance Committee will meet from Tuesday, April 7 to Thursday, April 9 to consider the Estimates.
Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Dr. Omar Davies will make his contribution to the Budget Debate on Tuesday, April, 21.
Leader of the Opposition, Portia Simpson Miller, will speak in the Budget Debate on Thursday, April, 23.
Prime Minister, Bruce Golding will make his presentation on Tuesday, April, 28.
The Budget debate will be closed by the Finance and Public Service Minister on Wednesday, April 29.