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(CNS): The United People’s Movement government will bring the 2024/25 budget to parliament on 8 December. In a press release from the House, the Speaker, Sir Alden McLaughlin called for the second meeting and official state opening of the 2023-24 session of the parliament to begin next Friday at 10am. It will include the governor’s first throne speech as well as the budget address.
The budget address will be delivered by the new premier and minister for Finance, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly one of a number of firsts noted by McLaughlin.
“This is a unique State Opening with a new Speaker, Governor, and Premier,” he said. “But it’s a mistake to think this is purely ceremonial. In fact, this is a vitally important meeting for all Caymanians and residents, as the country will be hearing about the government’s spending plans over the next two years, as well as any policy developments that will no doubt impact the public.”
The budget could very well prove to be even more controversial than usual as the government’s spending plans are expected to reach over one billion dollars as it finances a long list of projects in the last spending plan before the next election. The budget has been in process for most of this year and while it will now be labled as a UPM budget much of the work was done under the former premier and finance minister Wayne Panton.
However, there are concerns that some of the projects that would have fallen under Panton’s climate change ministry to help fund the country’s transition to greener energy and begin to build the desperately needed resiliency measures to protect this islands from climate change could have lost out to the new Cabinet line ups other priorities and increased development.
Officials are expecting the meeting to run over several daily sittings and the new Standing Business Committee will meet next week to finalise the order of House business. The State Opening typically leads the first regular meeting of a new session after proclaiming the start of the parliamentary year, and is an opportunity for the governor to address the nation on the key priorities of the United Kingdom and the status of each arm of the governor’s constitutional responsibilities.
Following the throne speech, members usually debate the address given by the governor in a future sitting in order for the premier to provide remarks on the budget and any new policies by the government and give those on the opposition side time to digest the government’s fiscal plan.
Members of the public are able to view the proceedings live in person at the House of Parliament after signing in with security. The event will also be broadcast on CIGTV and its YouTube channel and government’s social media pages and Radio Cayman.
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