The first ever Budget in a pandemic is to be presented in just over an hour’s time.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert last week said expenditure on the COVID-19 pandemic could come in at close to 5 billion dollars.

The Minister told the Spotlight On the Budget and the Economy last Monday, the government had no choice but to borrow to meet the demands, caused by the virus and the measures aimed at fighting it.

He said by the end of this year the debt to GDP ration will be close to 77%, up from 65%.

He said the government has had to drawdown from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and borrow money in order to deal with the COVID fallouts.

But ahead of the presentation officials of the United National Congress are telling the nation don’t expect too much.


Former Senator Taharqua Obika told a pre budget consultation hosted by the Oropouche east constituency of the UNC; the government has already shown its hand in terms of what can be expected.


And the sitting Member of Parliament for Oropouche east, Dr. Roodal Moonilal said the Minister of Finance has some questions to answer about Petrotrin.


Dr. Moonilal also claimed the government took some jabs on labour by some of the utterances at the Spotlight On the Budget last week.