Durrant Pate/Contributor

Government of Jamaica (GOJ) operations for April 2022 to January 2023 continues to overperform, as total revenues and grants of J$635.33 billion, which is J$3.57 billion more than projected.

This represents an increase of approximately 15.6 per cent relative to the J$549.70 billion recorded for the corresponding period in 2022. Capital revenue under-performed projection during the review period recording nil, relative to the budgeted amount of J$95.9 million.

Conversely, bauxite levy closed at J$1.03 billion during the review period, relative to the budgeted amount of J$1.03 billion. Grants amounted to J$5.10 billion, which is J$797.4 million less than the budgeted amount.

Tax revenue closed the period at J$583.08 billion, J$4.43 billion more than the budgeted amount. Non-tax revenue amounted to J$46.12 billion, which is 0.1 per cent higher than the budgeted amount.

Expenditures

Total expenditure came out J$626.56 billion, J$2.32 billion less than the budgeted amount of J$628.88 billion. Recurrent expenditure, which totalled J$584.87 billion, accounted for 93 per cent of overall expenditures.

Under the recurrent expenditure categories for the review period, the category above the budgeted amount was ‘Interest. Interest totalled J$121.97 billion, J$71.70 million above the budgeted amount. The categories below the budgeted amount included ‘Programmes’ which was J$217.72 billion, J$2.05 billion below the budgeted amount.

Compensation of employees closed at J$245.18 billion, which is J$419.80 million or 0.2 per cent less than budgeted. Similarly, employee contribution totalled J$15.72 billion, which is J$79.5 million below the budgeted amount of J$15.80 billion.

‘Wages and Salaries amounted to J$229.46 billion, 0.1 per cent below the budgeted amount of J$229.80 billion. The ‘Fiscal Surplus’ came out to J$8.77 billion, relative to a ‘Projected Surplus’ of J$2.89 billion. Additionally, the ‘Primary Surplus Balance’ for the period amounted to J$130.74 billion, relative to the ‘Budgeted Primary Surplus Balance’ of J$124.79 billion.