PARLIAMENTARIANS WILL today begin to leaf through pages of budget allocations to various government ministries and departments as they examine the 2009/2010 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

Government ministers will be in the hot seat to explain how they intend to use the scarce resources to fund cash-strapped government departments such as the fire services. The Government this fiscal year slashed resources to disaster management and money allocated to fix roads, river training and gully cleaning.

Last week, Finance and the Public Service Minister Audley Shaw tabled a $548 billion budget in the House of Representatives.

Over the next three days members of the House, particularly those on the Opposition side, will quiz government ministers about allocations to ministries, and how these will be spent effectively to fund government programmes.

Belt-tightening measures

Prior to the tabling of the Budget, Prime Minister Bruce Golding had warned that the country would have to prepare for belt-tightening measures as the effects of the global economic crisis would have a significant impact on Jamaica.

The amount to be spent by the administration represents, in real terms, about five per cent less than the sum expended for the last fiscal year.

A number of sectors and government departments will feel the pinch with reduced resources.

The standing finance meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

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