Mid-Year Budget Communication 2017-2018 Mid-Year Budget Communication | Page 7

that, in the May Budget Communication, the Government It is to be noted that, in the May Budget Communication, the Government ent to do better affirmed than its the commitment Budget estimate to do this better fiscal than year. the Budget estimate this fiscal year. Minister announced last summer an across-the-board 10 To that end, the Prime Minister announced last summer an across-the-board 10 discretionary percent Recurrent reduction Expenditure in discretionary against the Recurrent budgeted Expenditure against the budgeted st payments and debt redemption. We are on track in this sums, excluding interest payments and debt redemption. We are on track in this rvicing expenditure regard, as totalled non-debt $861.1 servicing million expenditure against a mid- totalled $861.1 million against a mid- ted sum of year $975.3 pro-rated million. budgeted However, sum with of prior $975.3 year million. However, with prior year e addressed, commitments I have asked still Ministries to be addressed, and Departments I have asked to Ministries and Departments to e through the second half of the fiscal year, to ensure that redouble their vigilance through the second half of the fiscal year, to ensure that xpenditure and deficit targets we meet our desired expenditure and deficit targets. Mr. Speaker, n improvement in The the $92.3 GFS Deficit million in improvement the first half in of the this GFS Deficit in the first half of this d to the previous year, largely reflected a deliberate $76.4 fiscal year, as compared to the previous year, largely reflected a deliberate $76.4 apital Expenditure, million from reduction $152.2 in million Capital last Expenditure, year to $75.8 from $152.2 million last year to $75.8 his fiscal year, million the this government year. This has fiscal exercised year, extreme the government has exercised extreme mmitments for prudence capital in expenditure, the commitments ensuring for that capital only expenditure, ensuring that only cal public meaningful investments and are critical approved. public That investments said, we are approved. That said, we public infrastructure plant, in too many cases, remains well acknowledge that our public infrastructure plant, in too many cases, remains well Page 5 of 10 Page 5 of 10