ARTICLE - SENATE APPROVES BUDGET

THE BUDGET VOTED IN THE SENATE, 14 FOR, 4 AGAINST, 1 ABSTENTION
(Haiti Libre) -

After the postponement of the vote of the 2011-2012 budget by the Senators [Thursday, April 26] and 21 days after the ratification vote of the 2011-2012 budget by the Lower House, the Senate has finally voted, in the same terms as the Lower House, the State budget [121 billion gourdes - ± 3 billion U.S. dollars], with 14 votes for, 4 against and 1 abstention.

The predictions of revenue for the State are 57 billion gourdes, a difference of 64 billion [52.8%], depending on international aid and loans from the Petrocaribe fund...

Some parliamentarians have tried, unsuccessfully, to suspend the meeting to discuss with the Minister of Finance, an upward revision of the budget to the State University of Haiti, but the Senate President reminded them that "the ministers who resigned have no right to intervene in Parliament."

For his part, Jocelerme Privert, the President of the Senate Commission on Economy and Finance, has deplored a budget that "does not reflect all the concerns of the population", while hoping that the next budget will meet the expectations of the population, including those who are unemployed.

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Lemercier George, is committed to respect the date of submission of the next budget [2012-2013], on 30 June.