The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, January 21, approved a supplementary appropriation bill to cover urgent expenditures.
Government of Montserrat tabled the Supplementary Appropriation (2024) (No. 2) Bill, 2025, which sought to sanction payments from the Consolidated and Development Funds to meet urgent expenditure needs across various sectors.
Minister of Finance, Premier Reuben T. Meade, introduced the bill, highlighting the critical areas requiring immediate attention and funding. The supplementary allocation of $26,065,600 is divided as follows:
- Supply Votes: $9,871,400
- Development Fund Votes: $16,194,200
Premier Meade explained that the additional funds would address pressing issues, including salaries, pensions, health services, and urgent maintenance. The Supplementary Appropriation brings the total funding under the Supply Votes to $167,409,800 and under the Development Fund Votes to $122,583,000 for the financial year 2024-2025.
Key Allocations
- Office of the Deputy Governor: $1,392,900 has been allocated to cover salaries, pensions, and $280,000 for urgent prison repairs. Premier Meade noted the importance of addressing overdue gratuity payments for civil servants who left the service months ago.
- Strategic Management and Administration: $7 million has been set aside to settle claims against the government, preventing unnecessary legal expenses in the future.
- Health Services: A total of $1,272,500 is earmarked for critical needs, including:
- $95,000 for professional services and the Canadian health insurance license fee.
- $73,000 for the Visiting Specialist Program under Primary Health Care.
- $676,700 for Secondary Health Care, including specialized positions and allowances.
Premier Meade emphasised the importance of these allocations, particularly for the health sector, stating, “Madam Speaker, I don’t think anybody will ever argue against the Ministry of Health getting funds.”
The premier acknowledged the ongoing challenges in adequately compensating police and civil servants due to limited resources. He encouraged innovative approaches to income generation, stating, “If they use initiative to do jobs on their own time, they should be allowed.”
The Supplementary Appropriation also reflects the government’s commitment to addressing underspending and reallocating resources to meet critical needs. Premier Meade expressed hope that these measures would resolve longstanding issues, including overdue payments to former civil servants, without resorting to costly litigation.
