KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Senate approved the Appropriations Bill, which authorises the government to spend its annual budget, about 9:35pm Friday.

After a lengthy debate lasting more than 10 hours, the estimates of expenditure was put to a vote. Leader of Opposition Business, Senator Mark Golding, called for a divide, which requires each member to cast an individual vote.

The result of that vote was as follows: 15 senators voted: 10 in favour of the Bill and five Opposition senators abstained.

The debate started with all 21 senators present, but was prolonged by lengthy contributions, mainly from Opposition members Senator Lambert Brown, Senator Sophia Fraser Binns and Senator Wensworth Skeffery. By the end, 16 members including the President, Senator Tom Tavares-Finson, were left in the chamber.

Opposition members criticised the budget and blamed the tax measures on the new $1.5 million personal income tax threshold. Government members, however, defended the implementation of the new threshold, scheduled to take effect as of April 1, as evidence of its commitment to fulfill promises made during last year’s general election campaign.

The Bill was passed in the House on Wednesday, following the closing of the debate by Minister of Finance and the Public Services, Audley Shaw.

Leader of Government Business and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, piloted the Bill through the Senate today.

Balford Henry