Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): After a period spanning five (5) days, from the presentation of St. Kitts and Nevis’ 2024 Budget Address by the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance on December 13, to the rebuttal by Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Mark Brantley, and debates by parliamentarians, The Appropriation (2024) Bill, 2023, with total estimates for 2024 of EC$ 1.09 Billion for recurrent expenditure, capital expenditure and net lending, was passed into law on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
With a total recurrent capital and net lending charges on the consolidated fund of EC $987,843, 557, and a total provided by law of EC $102,702,984, the Bill made provisions for the Governor-General; Parliament; Audit Office; Justice and Legal Affairs; Prime Minister’s Office; National Security, Citizenship and Immigration; International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Finance; Social Development and Gender Affairs; Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives; the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Transport; Public Infrastructure, Energy, Utilities and Domestic Transport; Education; Health and Social Security; Sports and the Creative Economy; Sustainable Development; Foreign Affairs; Office of the Attorney-General; Employment and Labour; Housing, Human Settlement, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Faith-based Affairs; Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment; Information, Communication, Technology and Post; Youth Empowerment, Ageing and Disabilities; Economic Development and Investment, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
“Madam Deputy Speaker, this Budget wasn’t just about any double salary. We were planning all along to bring a comprehensive plan to help reframe the financial architecture in St. Kitts and Nevis to benefit everybody,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew during his wrap-up of the 2024 Budget Debate on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
The Appropriation (2024) Bill, 2023 was presented under the theme: “Marching Forward on the Journey to a Sustainable Island State”.
“I want to say to our people here in St. Kitts and Nevis, that we have a good opportunity to build a sustainable island state, create the first one on this planet and allow it to be a model for the rest of the world,” said Dr. Drew. “The world is taking us seriously because it [the Budget] has been put together well.”
The Budget was passed unopposed by members of parliament. It received favourable reviews from several members of the Opposition who commended the wide scope for people empowerment.
During his address on December 14, Opposition MP, Honourable Eric Evelyn, Member for Nevis 10, said “Madam Deputy Speaker, when I listened to the Budget Address yesterday (December 13), it really was a Budget that spoke to people. It was a people-centered Budget. And yes, a lot of people will benefit from this Budget. Madam Deputy Speaker, I commend wholeheartedly the Budget and the mover [Prime Minister Dr. Drew],” he added.
Prime Minister Dr. Drew conveyed his satisfaction with the remarkable efforts of his team since they took office in August 2022. He used the opportunity to extend his best wishes to everyone for the remainder of 2023 and a prosperous 2024.
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