MINISTER of Finance and the Public Service Dr Nigel Clarke last evening tabled the third supplementary estimates for 2023/24, showing a $58.2 billion increase in the annual budget spending.

It moves the annual budget to $1.094.387 trillion.

The finance minister, speaking at Gordon House on Tuesday, said the supplementary estimates include a $1.7-billion budget for local government elections, expected by early next year.

Dr Clarke recalled that earlier this year, while tabling the second supplementary budget, he had indicated that requirements for some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), under the public sector compensation restructuring, were still needed to be determined.

“I am also tabling the third supplementary for 2023/24 to reflect, among other things, the allocation of amounts needed to facilitate the implementation of the second year of the compensation restructuring of the MDAs, which were not previously addressed in the second supplementary,” the minister said.

He said that the new estimates will benefit from a grant or tax revenues, a matter which he said would be addressed when the estimates are being debated by the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament, which critically examines the Government’s current account.

A net increase of $1.4 billion in the recurrent programme will be shared among a number of MDAs and public bodies; for example, the $480 million for the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, of which $400 million is for social housing and $80 million to support trucking of water; $420 million will go to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, including $100 million to clean up townships, $200 million for roads repair, and $120 million for indigent housing.

There is also $20 million for compassion grants at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and $20 million to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining.

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will receive an allocation of $126 million, including $31.5 million for sport development. There is also $50.5 million to support the establishment of a new Jamaica Information Service office in St Thomas, and a $345 million allocation to the University Hospital of the West Indies.

The National Water Commission, meanwhile, will receive $420 million; Caribbean Maritime University, $389 million; Tourism Enhancement Fund, $120 million; and $107 million will be spent on health agencies.

The PAAC is expected to review the budget and fiscal policy paper on Wednesday.