NASSAU, Bahamas – The 10 per cent reduction in spending ordered last year may be set to increase in the 2018-2019 budget cycle, Immigration Minister Brent Symonette revealed yesterday, according to an article written by Chief Reporter Ava Turnquest in The Trubune on Friday, May 4.
Mr Symonette told The Tribune ministries are facing another cut, or at minimum will be expected to hold firm to the 10 per cent decrease set down last July.
He was asked about initiatives, like the establishment of an anti-corruption unit, his ministry would be requesting funding for in this upcoming budget cycle.
He noted that to improve services, among the things the government has to do is “bring public expenditure within line of a certain percentage of the GDP.”
“So we all know last year we took a 10 per cent cut,” he was quoted as saying. “ We’re also going to have to take a cut or hold the line this year so it’s very difficult to make progress. So the corruption unit will probably be borrowing people or seconding people from the (Royal Bahamas) Defence Force or something like that, so that’s what we have to look at.”
