Is the island of Nevis operating without a 2023 Budget? Why hasn’t the Budget been passed, as yet?

Usually, by the time a new year begins, the Federal and local Budgets, would have already been passed in the National and Nevis Island Assemblies, respectively.

The Appropriation (2023) Bill, 2022 (or the Federal Budget), which is to the tune of EC$ 1.02 Billion was passed into law on Dec.19th 2022. However, to date, there has not been any official word as to the date of the Nevis Island Administration’s (local) Budget Day.

But this is not the first time Nevis has had this situation. This was done in the last sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly in 2018, where the Throne Speech was given and then the Budget. Additionally, this does not mean that the island cannot function, as it relates to the Government’s day to day operations, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance (Nevis).

Based on information from the Finance Administration Act, 2007, which gives information about the financial operations of the Government, Section 31 of the Act, states: “If the appropriation Act for a financial year has not come into operation at the commencement of the financial year, the Minister may by provisional general warrant under his or her hand authorize expenditures necessary to carry on the services of Government until the expiration of four months from the beginning of that financial year or the coming into operation of the appropriation Act, whichever is the earlier.”

The Nevis Appropriation Bill (2022) 2021 (or NIA’s 2022 Budget) was to the tune of EC $229.04 Million dollars.