Executive

Haiti: Proposed Budget of $3.2B for 2012-13 Submitted

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Haitian lawmakers applauded the timely submission of the Martelly-Lamothe administration's proposed Law on Finances for the 2012-13 fiscal year. The document reached the Chamber of Deputies Friday and will be reviewed for soundness before becoming law.

The 2012-13 budget submitted by the Minister of Finance Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie is estimated at 131 billion HTG ($3.2 billion [US]) a 7.6% increase from last years 121 billion HTG ($2.9 billion [US]) by then-Minister of Finance Andre Lemercier George.

Some areas projected to receive priority by budget are:
18.2 B HTG ($439 M [US]) for transportation infrastructure
12.9 B HTG ($311 M [US]) for rural development
12.3 B HTG ($296 M [US]) for education
9.5 B HTG ($229 M [US]) for health
4.2 B HTG ($101 M [US]) for energy
2.3 B HTG ($55.4 M [US]) for water

For the first time in years, according to Le Nouvelliste, tax revenues will exceed expected donations. Taxes are at 52 B HTG ($1.25 billion [US]) and expected donations, 46 B HTG ($1.1 billion [US]).

External debt is 20.3 B HTG ($489 M [US]), mainly of the PetroCaribe loans. Internal debt is 5.5 B HTG ($133 M [US]), coming from issued Treasury Bills.

70 percent of this draft budget is allocated to public investment expenditure, which are spending the government's priority, says Minister Marie Jean Marie Camelle.

The Assembly of Deputies met in special session to receive the draft budget, hailed the government's move Martelly-Lamothe.

Members of the Finance Committee of the Board are convened on Tuesday July 3rd, for the first working session on the draft finance law, said Poly Faustin (Miragoane/Inite).

Vice President at meetings of the Lower House, took the opportunity to invite parliamentarians and all commissions to go to work to vote, "a set of laws essential to the functioning of the Republic."

For its part, the chairman of the finance committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Antoine Rodon Bien-Aime (Carvajal/Inite) welcomed the increase in the budget by 7.6%.