Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Despite the grave state of our finances Budget Day is January 16, 2017

Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith (AL) will present the 2017 Budget on January 16, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
The Fourth Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly has been scheduled for Monday January 16, 2017 at its Chambers in Road Town. Photo: VINO/File
The Fourth Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly has been scheduled for Monday January 16, 2017 at its Chambers in Road Town. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- With the backdrop of leaving the country broke, reckless spending as confirmed by the United Kingdom appointed Governor John S. Duncan OBE, and Chairman of the Main Opposition Virgin Islands Party and Senior Opposition Member Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) claiming billions are missing or unaccounted for, the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith (AL) will read a 2017 Budget Address.

According to information from the House of Assembly (HoA), the Fourth Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly has been scheduled for Monday January 16, 2017 at its Chambers in Road Town.

The main item on the agenda is for Premier Smith to deliver the 2017 Budget Address to the Territory.

While this year the Budget deliberation is late, the Financial Management Act gives the Government up to April 30, 2017 (fourth month of each year) to have a spending bill in place. In the interim, the Smith Administration a few weeks ago received a provisional budget of $110M to keep the government running.

While it is customary for the Virgin Islands budget figure to increase each year, the public must be aware that it is only an estimate of expected revenues and expenditures, and the presented figure most often does not match the reality on the ground.

The 2016 Budget estimates were approximately three hundred and thirty million United States dollars ($330M). It is unclear what were the final year end revenues and expenditures, as the National Democratic Party (NDP) administration has not presented any audited financial statements since they took office in 2011.

The ritual of a Budget presentation in the HoA is the highlight of any Minister of Finance as well as the Government of the day.

15 Responses to “Despite the grave state of our finances Budget Day is January 16, 2017”

  • waiting. (03/01/2017, 20:57) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply

    Waiting to see where the country heading.

  • Savings (03/01/2017, 20:57) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    more cut and paste
  • Grumpy (03/01/2017, 21:08) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
    I beleive the NDP need to find more productive means of communicating, because such late budget is just a disruption of the democratic process and must not become the norm.
    • Reply (03/01/2017, 22:08) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Huh?
    • @Grumpy (04/01/2017, 05:27) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
      Oh Grumpy----- I agree 100%. They really need a good PR person.. Then I heard it's a very divided party.. With internal fighting and Ronnie is the Glue keeping it together with some support from Kedrick..Maybe it will be wise if Smith Retire and let Ronnie run things...
  • one eye (03/01/2017, 22:08) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    Blah blah blah blah if we can understand what dr smith saying
  • pat (04/01/2017, 01:35) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lots of them will never get to give a budget address
  • The truth For God sake. (04/01/2017, 05:30) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Don't pick and choose Doc. Tell the whole truth.. God Will be watching, listening and judging you. So speak so whole truth for God sake.
  • Thanks (04/01/2017, 09:41) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Thanks to the new chairman and representative for the 1st district,he made sure this is happening before
    April.
  • musa (04/01/2017, 11:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    new blood needed if not ndp will run thing for a long time
  • Yes (04/01/2017, 12:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    yh until jan 16th
  • sacker (05/01/2017, 06:20) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hello people, do you realize that NDP is running our country like that big vessel that was sailing into the virgin islands with the captain and crew sick from food poisoning and noone at the helm moving at top speed. we digging deeper into financial difficulties, Ronnie and Mark. supporting China, kedrick. the white millionaires friends, myron the caribbean influencial mates ,Archie and delores trying to find great feeding grounds And the others having church with the premier when lorna let him out of the HML ring. poor we , lets look for new people to run the country before we hear election. again and VIP still trying to get their pants up. (caught with their pants down again) wondering whether Carvin or willock cook cook the goose. be mindful,helpful,watchful,truthful,careful and full of good and come.
  • W*F (05/01/2017, 07:43) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dr. Smith you need to speak from a position of Honesty and Integrity. Firstly, you need to give account for the $48 million dollars overspend on the Cruise Pier. Secondly, the $16 million dollars loaned to fix the roads, and the roads could not be in worse shape. Thirdly, the $7 million dollars wasted on the no frills airline that is yet to fly.


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.