Govt. Travel Budget Increase By Over $4M

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The travel budget has once again increased under the Davis administration.

While the prime minister has gone on the record to say his trips are bearing fruit, the Free National Movement says there needs to be an explanation for the rise.

Six months into the fiscal year and the Davis administration budgeted expenditure for travel increased from $14.8 million to $18.8 million.

The figures were revealed in the government’s revised numbers in the 2022/2023 supplementary budget draft estimates of revenue and expenditure.

That more than $4 million dollar increase was spread across government agencies with the largest in the Office of The Prime Minister.

The budget went from $625,424 to $2.6 million.

Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the new numbers didn’t catch him off guard.

But that’s not all, travel and subsistence for the House of Assembly rose from $148,850 to $164,350.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs went from $109,200 to $259,200 and the Department of Immigration saw an increase from $1.9 million to $2.1 million.

The Department of Education’s budget also shot up by $420,000

Meanwhile, the FNM is again questioning if the prime minister is needed on these trips.

Back in May, the government allocated an additional $4.1 million to travel expenses. Six months into the fiscal year and there is another increase.

Prime Minister Philip Davis had to fend off criticism that he travels with large delegations. He has gone on record to say his trips are fruitful.