Government is seeking to increase the 2025 Fiscal Package by approximately $3 billion.
The Lower House of Parliament met on Monday in Standing Finance Committee (SFC) to consider Supplementation of Heads of Expenditure for several Ministries for fiscal year 2025.
Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo explained why the supplementation was necessary: “May I indicate that we are now going to look at supplementation for $3.14 billion and this is because of the fiscal financial recklessness and free for all undertaken by the former government where they were spending money without planning, and spending without making proper payment arrangements. As a result of that, we have had a crash of the economy and, thanks to us now being in government, we now have access to the information. A lot more will be presented in the Mid Year Review on Wednesday.”
Expenditure for the Judiciary has been increased by $50 million. Minister of Justice Devesh Maharaj said this would cover payments for contract employment and outstanding arrears owed to service suppliers.
“The proposed judiciary allocation, Mr. Chairman, recurrent expenditure $50 million, 30 million of that is going to contract employment, really the shortfall in the 2025 deficit was 44, so the judiciary of its own will source another $8 million from within its existing budgetary allocation. Fees of $10 million to enable the cost of payment owed to funeral agencies and pathologists and to compensate jurors for their services.”