NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 09, 2021) – – The Nevis Appropriation Bill (2022) 2021 has been passed in the Nevis Island Assembly.
The Bill appropriates certain sums of money for the use of the public service for the island of Nevis for the financial year commencing on January 01, 2022, and ending on December 31, 2022.
Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), laid the bill in the parliament on Tuesday, December 07, 2021. The parliamentarians on the government benches and the Opposition Member of Parliament provided robust debate over the following two days before the bill was passed unanimously on December 09, 2021.
The bill allows for a total government expenditure of $229,044,850 for the fiscal year 2022.
The Premier described the Budget as “practical”, free of new or increased taxes, which is aimed at “Recapturing the Momentum; Restoring Fiscal Sustainability”.
“I have also sought to carve out a pathway to restore growth for the upcoming fiscal year 2022 and beyond, in a manner that will regain momentum at a level prior to the onset of the pandemic thus restoring fiscal sustainability in the economy. This pathway is an indication that we are putting the necessary mechanisms in place to deal with external and home-grown challenges.
“The road ahead will be extremely difficult and will need strong, bold, decisive, tested and mature leadership, which my government has provided and will continue to provide. As we try now to move beyond this dreadful pandemic, we must build back better and ensure that we keep our island in safe and stable hands. I remain confident that despite the current challenges there lies a better and brighter tomorrow which we must all work together to achieve. I am confident that our best days are yet to come,” he said.