Government’s 2015 Appropriation package for T&T is being varied by increases of $2.1 billion involving the shift of certain sums from some ministries to others, following deliberations by Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee on Wednesday night
The variation involves decreasing funding to four ministries and shifting the extra funds to 31 other ministries and entities.
People’s Partnership (PP) Minister in the Ministry of Finance Rudy Indarsingh yesterday made it clear, however, that the move doesn’t increase the 2015 Budget beyond its $68 billion level, but sums not being used in certain ministries are being shifted around to increase amounts to other agencies.
Finance Minister Larry Howai has said variation doesn’t mean increasing the Budget figure but simply varying sums in agencies while supplementation - which is not being done by the SFC deliberations - involves adding extra funds. Howai had said the SFC variation was in keeping with Government’s mandate to suppress expenditure due to lower oil prices.
In the SFC deliberations, funding in four ministries, ranging from a high of $1.4 billion (in the Finance Ministry) to a low of $20 million (Social Development), is being decreased while extra funding from those areas are being shifted to increase funds for 31 state agencies/ministries. This includes National Security, Tobago House of Assembly, the Elections and Boundaries Commission and the Judiciary.
Among those receiving increased funding, the Education Ministry received the largest sum ($579m) as well as National Security ($477.9m)
Sums from decreases in the four ministries are also going to fund matters such as payment of salary increases and retroactive payment for public servants currently being computed and due to be paid from this month into August.
SFC deliberations began at 1 pm Wednesday and was suspended at 1.49 pm after dealing with 16 entities and resuming at 7.45 that night to complete the other 19.
ILP leader Jack Warner was the sole opposition MP questioning Government on the shifts as PNM MPs continued their boycott of Parliament, which started last month in support of suspended PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley.
Warner had questioned Government on the changes for funding at the Finance, Energy, Social Development and Science/Technology Ministries and the Judiciary. But he left in the evening and wasn’t present for conclusion of SFC deliberations, despite the fact that he’d said earlier he had questions on in the increases for National Security, Legal Affairs, Justice, Tobago Development Ministry, Trade and Housing.
The Lower House meets at 10 am today to approve the SFC changes, PP House leader Roodal Moonilal said. During the session, Works Minister Suruj Rambachan said preliminary work will begin in the next three to four weeks on the Mayaro Highway.