Samoan Minister tables $12 million budget

Samoan Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti, tabled a supplementary budget of $12,288,936.00 (US$5,778,949.45) in Parliament Tuesday.

Speaking about the budget, he said it was the result of a very ‘careful review’.

Sili said the government continues to promote the theme of “living within our means”.

In doing so, the government has attempted to identify various means to maintain its fiscal target of a budget deficit within the range of 3.5% of the national GDP.

“The Ministry for Finance has completed an assessment of previous financials for the FY 2015/2016 and have since concluded that there has been a 0.4% decrease in total national spending,” he said.

“A review of the first quarter of the 2016/2017 financial period has revealed a 0.7% budget deficit of the GDP.

“These are clear indications that all Ministries, under the guidance of the Ministry for Finance, have been committed to ensuring prudent control and the efficient use of all Government resources throughout the course of the financial year.”

Sili made it clear that the expectation was that these ‘controls’ would not diverge from other government priorities that are currently being implemented to ensure a continued improvement in the quality of life for all Samoan. .


SOURCE: SAMOA OBSERVER