Tension in Parliament over bill to change timeline for GDP target

Lawmakers spent hours today, at times in intense and sharp exchanges, as they debated an amendment to the Financial Administration and Audit (FAA) Act which was later passed without amendment.

The bill will facilitate the extension of the timeline from March 31, 2026 to March 31, 2028 for the government's debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target of 60 per cent.

The Opposition had urged the Government not to proceed with the debate today, arguing that it needed more time to prepare and make meaningful presentations on a critical piece of the statute.

IN PHOTO: Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke

Opposition spokesman on finance Mark Golding said that his Government counterpart, Dr Nigel Clarke had sent him a copy of the bill at 10 pm yesterday, informing him that it might be subject to change when the legislative committee reviews it today.

"This bill has been hastily crafted in the last few days and we are being asked to pass it in a day," Golding charged.

Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips also raised concern about the Government’s approach saying that passing the law to suspend the fiscal responsibility framework should at least be subjected to wider consultation with lawmakers.

However, Clarke said that the Government had no choice but to press ahead with the passage of the law, noting that a delay in debating the bill would mean a push back in the examination and passage of the first supplementary estimates of expenditure.

He said that the Government could not delay passage of the revised budget which contains a $6 billion expenditure for the health sector and $17 billion for social programmes.

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