The Jamaican government has set aside some $1.7 billion for the local government elections, which are likely to be held in the coming months.
The announcement was made by Finance Minister, Dr. Nigel Clarke, during this week’s tabling in the House of Representatives of the Third Estimates of Expenditure for the 2023/24 fiscal year.
More than $58 billion has now been added to the national budget, the lion’s share of which will go towards salaries for public sector employees as part of the Compensation Review Programme.
Clarke noted that the estimates “reflect, among other things, the allocation of amounts to facilitate implementation of the second year of the public sector compensation restructure for those ministries, departments, and agencies not previously addressed in the Second Supplementary Estimates.”
Jamaica’s national budget now stands at $1.094 trillion.
Election long overdue
The local Government elections, which are constitutionally due every four years, were last held in November 2016. They were due to be held in November 2020 but were postponed as the world was still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic — even though general elections were held in September of that year.
They were postponed again in January 2022 for the same reason — COVID-19.
In 2022, for a third time, the local government elections were postponed until no later than February 28, 2024.
More on Jamaica’s election woes
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- Jamaica’s PNP supporters protest against postponement of Local Government Elections
- Jamaica’s Local Gov’t Elections Postponed until February 2024
Minister of Local Government, Desmond McKenzie, explained that the third postponement will allow the country to continue its post-COVID-19 economic recovery. McKenzie also noted that the postponement will provide further time to conclude consultations regarding Portmore becoming Jamaica’s 15th parish.
The opposition did not take the news of the third postponement lightly, with the People’s National Party President Mark Golding threatening to take the government to court if the election were to be postponed for a fourth time.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently stated that the government has every intention to hold the elections before its constitutional due date.
“The Government intends to fulfill the constitutional requirements and the constitution as it relates to the local government elections…If something happens — an exogenous shock, weather events, then certainly that has to be considered but as it is now, it is the intention of the Government to fulfill its constitutional duties,” Holness said last month.
