The parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa are St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St James, Hanover and Trelawny. Photo: Garfield Robinson

The entire increase is related to the expenses from Hurricane Melissa, which impacted the country on October 28, leaving an estimated US$8.8 billion in damage to assets.

In tabling the revised budget, Finance Minister Fayval Williams said the increase has been classified as “Hurricane Melissa Response and Relief”.

The lion’s share of the $29-billion ($7.2 billion) will go to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development. These funds will be targeted at road infrastructure and the procurement of 3,300 containerised housing units.

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development has been allocated $4.6 billion to assist with post-hurricane relief efforts, fund the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s pre- and post-hurricane clean-up exercise, as well as provide support to the municipal corporations.

The Ministry of Tourism will receive $3.4 billion to support recovery of the sector in which many properties have remained shuttered, and thousands of workers remain out of work.

Williams said the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change has been allocated $3.2 billion; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining will receive $3 billion; while the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications has been allocated $1.5 billion.

“Alongside those Melissa-induced spending is the Government’s own spending to keep [the country] going,” Williams stated.

The Public Administration and Appropriations Committee of Parliament will meet on Wednesday to examine the revised estimates before the document is returned to the Lower House for approval.