TWO Members of Parliament (MPs), from different sides of the aisle, used their contribution to the 2026/27 State of the Constituency Debate on Tuesday to add their voices to those calling for an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation.

MP for Westmoreland Eastern, the Opposition’s Dr Dayton Campbell, and MP for St Andrew North Western, the Government’s Duane Smith, both argued that the current allocation of $20 million was woefully inadequate to address the growing needs of their constituents.

Campbell pointed out that of the current CDF allocation, MPs are mandated to set aside $1.5 million to pay the administrator $1 million for welfare, and $1 million for social housing.

“That takes out $3.5 million of the $20 million upfront and then we are mandated that education has to be $5 million and I would dare say all of us in here spend more than $5 million on education.

“Which means that we are left with less than half of the amount to treat with all the other issues within the constituency,” said Campbell.

He made a comparison between the CDF and the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network (SPARK) programme, noting that $306 million was budgeted for 10 roads in his constituency under this scheme.

“But the CDF, I would have to save the $20 million, all of it, for 15 years just to match that allocation,” he said.

“So when persons complain about our inability to fix a road, or to fix water in a community, that is not an issue that can really be dealt with by the office of the Member of Parliament.

“I don’t believe that when we are elected we should become the chief mendicant,” Campbell told his fellow parliamentarians. “I do not believe that we should be left at the whim and fancy of a minister who may like, or not like us, who may like the party we represent or not like the party,” added Campbell.

He argued that MPs should be empowered in such a way that they can make meaningful representation on behalf of the people who elected them. As such, he said consideration should be given to the proposal that was made by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding who created the CDF in 2008.

Golding had recommended that 0.5 per cent of the national budget be allocated to the CDF and Campbell pointed out that based on the current budget of $1.3 trillion that would amount to around $6.7 billion, for a breakdown of $106 million per constituency.

Anticipating the criticisms that could head his way Campbell argued that the money would not be used in a wanton way.

Member of Parliament for St Andrew North Western Duane Smith making his contribution to the 2026/27 State of the Constituency Debate. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

“That’s what the cynics would say and it seems some here [on the Government side] are part of the cynicism,” Campbell said.

He argued that money should be allocated to MPs so they could go to the agencies and say “this allocation is there for this constituency and I want it to be placed on this road or to do this water supply or to build this training centre”.

For his part, Smith noted that the CDF is the one source of funding an MP can count on consistently to meet the everyday needs of constituents.

He argued that “if the people are the heart of our constituencies, then the CDF is the blood that keeps that heart pumping”.

Smith noted further that when the fund was launched in 2008, it stood at $40 million per constituency.

He pointed out that economic pressures forced a reduction to $20 million in 2009, and that $20 million has since lost approximately 65 per cent of its purchasing power.

“In practical terms, every MP in this House today can do 65 per cent less than a member could do in 2009. That’s 65 per cent less for medical assistance, 65 per cent less for education, 65 per cent less for economic enablement, 65 per cent less for building materials and grants. And when these gaps go unaddressed, central Government inevitably has to step in later, at a much higher cost than if we had acted sooner,” Smith argued.

He acknowledged that matching the intent of the 2008 allocation today would require roughly $126 million per constituency — over six times what is currently allocated.

“I recognise that is not realistic given our current economic position, but it shows just how far the CDF has drifted from the demands actually placed on it, and how creative we have had to become to stretch the dollar,” added Smith.

The Government MP suggested that an emergency study and audit of the existing framework be undertaken before any decision is made on an increase.

“This is not a call for more money without justification. A percentage increase pulled from thin air, without the data to support it risks leaving us either still short or over-corrected in the wrong direction. There are existing models and studies we can draw on to get this right — the tools exist,” said Smith.