Who Gets What In 2007

Current Non-Interest Expenditure

In this section we consider how the budgeted expenditure is allocated among competing Ministries, Departments, Programmes and Projects.

Central Government’s non-interest current expenditure (employment costs and other charges) for the year is budgeted at G$53.601Bn which is 1% more than revised 2006. The Ministries/ Departments with the most significant allocations are:

As in the previous year, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Home Affairs and Guyana Defence Force receive the most significant allocations. Separate allocations are provided for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. It is unfortunate that the Ministry with the greatest need and promise – Human Services -is the recipient of the smallest increase. The regions with the most significant allocations are:

Significant changes from the previous year’s latest estimates occurred in the following Ministries/ Departments:

Capital Expenditure

Central Government’s capital expenditure for the year is budgeted at G$36.698Bn which is 12% below revised 2006 and 37% of total 2007 expenditure. The Ministries/ Departments with the most significant capital expenditure allocations are:

Regional Allocations

Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) whose share of the country’s population is 16.5% based on the 2002 Census Report received approximately 18.47% of the total current expenditure amount allocated to the regions. The situation regarding the total expenditure allocation is similar to previous year with Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) whose share of the population is 13.7% receiving 15% of the regional allocation. Region 4, which has 41% of the country’s population receives only 15.07% of the total expenditure allocated to the regions.

The regional allocation is however of limited use only as Region 4′s allocation is distorted by the range of costs such as education and health which are charged to respective ministries while in the other regions such costs are accounted for in the regional budget.

Ram & McRae’s Comments

The total funds voted within the Ministry of Finance amounts to approximately G$22.31Bn or 22.32% of the total budget. In 2006 the total fund voted to the Ministry of Finance represented 27.86% of the total budget.