A team from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) visited Montserrat last week for the annual Mid-Year Review of the Budget Support programme which will be providing £30.82m to support the Government of Montserrat this fiscal year.
The mission began on Monday July 29, 2024, with a courtesy call to Cabinet to debrief on the expectations and purpose of the week. Throughout the main review period Monday – Wednesday, the visiting FCDO team with officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Governor’s Office had sessions with Ministries and Departments.
During the sessions senior managers provided updates on their implementation plans for the year and the prioritisation of these plans. They also outlined various obstacles affecting the implementation of the key strategies. Funding, the timing of notification of budgetary allocations, and a lack of capacity were the common areas of concern.
Additionally, the team reviewed budgetary performance, ring-fenced budget lines (including progress, and key issues highlighted in the January 2024 Budget Support Mission (BSM) as well as how transformation plans are progressing on health, maintenance and access.
Site visits to areas such the St John’s Health Clinic, funded through the recurrent budget, were also conducted and provided a clearer perspective of the challenges faced by Ministries and departments.
The Team also met with representatives from the Banking sector and the Financial Services Commission to gain insight on operations and areas of potential.
The Mid-year review has been considered a success by the Government of Montserrat and FCDO in providing the necessary ground work for a successful upcoming Budget Support Mission later in the fiscal year.
