KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Members of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) are currently deliberating the First Supplementary Estimates for the 2017/18 financial year.

It will then be debated in the House of Representatives later in this afternoon.

Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw tabled the Supplementary Estimates in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The figures show that the budget has been revised upwards from $715.6 billion to $805.4 billion, an increase of $89.8 billion.

The Estimates show an increase in the recurrent (housekeeping) expenses, from $493.7 billion to $515.4 billion, while capital (development) spending moved from $221.8 billion to $290 billion.

Under the revised budget, some $2 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to undertake road repairs.

The provision will facilitate islandwide rehabilitation of parish council, farm and main roads which suffered structural damage as a result of heavy rainfall over the past several months.

In addition, the Ministries of National Security, and Finance and the Public Service received increases in their allocations.