$57B supplementary budget approved

May 24, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- The Committee of Supply on Friday night approved $57.5 billion more to support four state agencies, just three months after passing this year’s national budget.

The financial paper valued at $57,492,615,275 was approved for the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM); the Ministry of Public Works; Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Ministry of Housing and Water. The supplementary budget increases the government’s spending power to massive $1,439,492,615,275.

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh

In a statement Friday evening, the Ministry of Finance said the supplementary appropriation was successfully piloted by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh.

Included in the supplementary provision for OPM is $29.5 billion. Of that sum, $28.8 billion will go towards supporting the upgrade and expansion of electricity distribution networks. This will complement and support the 300 MW Natural Gas Power Plant currently under construction. In addition, $738 million is allocated for the expansion of coverage to 17 previously unserved communities, even as the government has provided solar panels to a large number of hinterland communities that are not in close proximity to the national grid.

Under OPM’s current programme, $7.8 billion was approved to support, upgrade and maintain approximately 157 km of existing distribution network to address the immediate needs of citizens. This will boost GPL’s capacity to provide reliable electricity services to customers.

According to the finance ministry, as of May 21, 2025, 617,398 citizens have registered for the cash grant across the country with 602,927 cheques having already been cut and 96 percent distributed. It is projected that an additional 12,000 persons will be registered by the end of June.

In addition, an amount of $1.5 billion has been allocated for the continuation of hinterland roads for improved connectivity to the hinterland from the coast under the Ministry of Public Works, along with $1.4 billion for farm-to-market roads in various areas, to support the growth and expansion of the agriculture sector. Additionally, the housing ministry received $12 billion more to facilitate an expanded housing programme.

In total, the sum of $11,017,456,275 for current estimates was approved and $46,475,159,000 for capital estimates.

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