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JAM | Mar 21, 2024

High anticipation for PM’s Budget presentation this afternoon

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Prime Minister Andrew Holness. (Photo: JIS/File)

Durrant Pate/Contributor

All eyes will be glued to this afternoon’s Budget Debate presentation by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in the aftermath of the walk-out of parliament by Government members of parliament (MPs) during Opposition Leader Mark Golding’s Budget presentation on Tuesday.

Political pundits have been questioning whether the Opposition will participate in today’s proceedings, having met last night to devise a strategy in response to the walk-out. It came as Golding raised questions about House of Representatives Speaker Juliet Holness being the spouse of the prime minister and her impartiality in her functions in the role.

Holness is expected to respond to the walk-out while addressing the points raised by his opposition counterparts, Golding and Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Julian Robinson.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding

Significant among them are the points raised by Golding regarding the National Housing Trust, which falls under his portfolio such his proposal to discontinue the annual multi-billion extraction from the trust for budgetary support.

The prime minister will also announce an increase in the number of social housing units for vulnerable persons and those in-need, having already promised to complete 500 units for the poor and indigent in the population.

Holness is also expected to speak on the raising of the income tax threshold, which he announced during his local government election campaign over a month ago. Golding was highly critical of the proposal, saying increasing the threshold to only J$1.7 million was most disappointing. This translates to a mere J$4,166 more per month in individual’s take-home pay.

The issue of corruption and the six MPs who are being investigated by the Integrity Commission for illicit enrichment is another sore area which many in society are waiting to hear answers from the prime minister, as well as the fact that the commission has still not certified his statutory declarations for two years.

Tags
Budget Debate 2024/25 Jamaican Parliament Prime Minister Andrew Holness

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