Gov't allocates COVID incentive payment for healthcare workers

Health care workers who have been battling COVID-19 are to receive the promised incentive from the Government with $1.4 billion allocated in the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure to make these payments. 

Health workers at the regional health authorities who are owed gratuity should also receive payment with an allocation of $731 million allocated for payments as well as to increase manpower. 

Finance and the Public Service Minister Dr Nigel Clarke tabled the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure in Gordon House earlier this afternoon. 

The revised budget shows a $37.3 billion increase over the Budget which was tabled in Parliament in February this year. 

The Budget has increased from $830.8 billion to $867.3 billion for fiscal year 2021/22. 

Clarke says the major focus of the supplementary estimates is to address the worsening COVID-19 pandemic by providing additional resources to the health sector. 

The finance ministry has set aside $4 billion to address outstanding arrears to suppliers of goods and services in the health sector. 

The budget also contains $900 million to provide additional support to the University Hospital of the West Indies including for the field hospital currently being built. 

Approximately $5.3 billion will be spent to provide social assistance to the most vulnerable and those affected by the pandemic.  

A total of $10.3 billion has been allocated to the health sector.  

The Government has also set aside an additional $2.7 billion to augment the sum allocated in the budget for public sector wage settlement. 

The University of Technology has received $1.4 billion in subvention from the Government as COVID-19 depleted the institution's resources. 

Clarke said the estimates has been tabled in the context of government revenues exceeding budgetary targets by $17.3 billion for April to July 2021.  

This follows the estimated robust economic growth of 12.9 per cent for the first quarter of this year as the economy recovers from COVID-19. 

Total expenditure is being increased by $33 billion while total revenue is being revised upwards by $33.5 billion for the full financial year. 

Clarke said that the expenditure increase of $33 billion comprises an uptick in the recurrent non-debt expenditure of $27.5 billion and interest payment expenditure of $5.5 billion with capital expenditure unchanged from the approved budget. 

The Public Administration and Appropriations Committee of Parliament will on Thursday review the First Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure.

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