THE West Indies may be on their way out of Cricket World Cup 2007, but the schedule for the rest of the tourney will extend the annual budget debate into May.

The debate will open this afternoon at Gordon House, as usual, with Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Omar Davies explaining how he plans to finance his $380- billion budget for 2007/2008.

However, Davies’ closing presentation, which had been scheduled for Thursday, April 26, has now been set back to Wednesday, May 2.

Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, who had been scheduled to speak on Thursday, April 19, will now speak on Thursday, April 26, while Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller who had been down to speak on Wednesday, April 25 will speak on Tuesday, May 1, instead.

Sources involved in the discussions on the changes to the schedule confirmed, yesterday, that they were made to avoid clashes with CWC 2007 fixtures.

West Indies is scheduled to face Bangladesh on April 19, while the first semi-final game, between teams finishing first and fourth in the Super 8 round, will be held in Jamaica on April 24 and the second semi-final in St Lucia on April 25.

The West Indies will meet England in their final Super 8 game on April 21.

Other speakers will be: Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Audley Shaw, on Tuesday, April 17; Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Roger Clarke, and Opposition spokesman on Mining, Energy and Telecommunications, Clive Mullings on Wednesday, April 18.