by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) – Prime Minister, the Hon Dr Timothy Harris, announced a proposed EC$952.2 million budget for the fiscal year 2022 during Day One of the Budget hearing on December 14.
2022 Budget estimates see an EC$84 million increase from the 2021 Budget.
The Prime Minister laid out the allocations for each ministry of the expected Appropriation Bill (2022) 2021.
“We, therefore, recommend the following allocations, which represent our proposals for both recurrent capital expenditures and net lending and principal payments.
Dr Harris called this budget a people-centric budget with an increase in health and education investment.
Last year the Ministry of Health was allocated EC$65,914,909 with a near EC$8 million increase in this years estimates.
The Ministry of Education in 2021 got EC$103,979,577 and saw an increase of EC$554,000.
The Prime Minister then explained in his opening that the 2022 budget seeks to reinvigorate the economy following the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So, Mr Speaker, heavy investment in our people, but it will also help to build the resilience in response to the pandemic and put our country of St. Kitts and Nevis back on track to becoming a model Small Island State. Our proposals for capital expenditure will make a significant contribution to our economic recovery by creating jobs and more jobs and moving our country closer to fuller recovery. We are taking a cautiously optimistic outlook for the fiscal year 2022, and therefore these proposals are setting the wheels in motion to advance our plan for putting St. Kitts and Nevis back on track.”
