THE 2016 National Budget of $230B was passed in the National Assembly early this morning after the final gruelling set of questions from the Opposition.Up to press time, the National Assembly was still examining the estimates item by item. The final two sectors were education and finance. Except Friday last, the House has met for an average of ten hours since the examination of the estimates began.

When 10 p.m struck Monday evening, the estimates of two ministries still remained unfinished as opposition members grilled government on the various policies and allocations. The Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, as leader of government business in the House, proposed continuation of the sitting until all matters were completed.

It is believed that this is the first time that the House sat on a national holiday, today, being Republic Day.

The Appropriations Bill, which details the estimates for all ministries, amounting to $212 billion, was expected to be tabled and passed in the House early this morning. The additional sums to take the budget to $230 billion represent funding for constitutional agencies and do not require approval of the House.

The totals approved in the House are:
Ministry of the Presidency – $4.8 billion
Office of the Prime Minister – $6.5 billion
Ministry of Finance -$23.6 billion
Ministry of Foreign Affairs- $3.8 billion
Parliament Office – $1.3 billion
Office of the Auditor General – $714.3 million

Public and Police Service Commission – $87.9 million
Teaching Service Commission – $109.2 million
Guyana Elections Commission – $3.5 billion
Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs – $2.1 billion
Ministry of Agriculture -$18 billion
Ministry of Tourism – $$35 million
Ministry of Business – $1.2 billion
Ministry of Natural Resources – $814 million
Ministry of Public Infrastructure – $30.6 billion
Ministry of Public Telecommunications – $821 million
Ministry of Education – $19.7 billion
Ministry of Communities – $6.7 billion
Ministry of Public Health – $19 billion
Ministry of Social Protection – $13.9 billion
Ministry of Public Security – $14.4 billion
Ministry of Legal Affairs – $1.6 billion
Guyana Defence Force – $10.1 billion
Supreme Court – $1.5 billion
Public Prosecutions – $160 million
Office of the Ombudsman – $44.7 million
Public Service Appellate Tribunal – $12.4 million
Ethnic Relations Commission – $81 million
Judicial Service Commission – $10 million
Rights Commission of Guyana – $121.4 million
Public Procurement Commission – $1,000
Regional Development Sector – $223 billion