National

PM Defends $2.3m Increase in Travel

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The prime minister on the defense about government travel, presenting his administration’s Three-Month Fiscal Report to Parliament.

Published

1 year ago

November 16, 2022

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The prime minister on the defense about government travel, presenting his administration’s Three-Month Fiscal Report to Parliament. The prime minister says the travel is necessary for the betterment of the Bahamian people.

Prime Minister Philip Davis defending an increase in travel in the first three months of the 2022/2023 fiscal year, reasoning that the figure is about 28% of the travel budget, which he says isn’t remarkable.

The Ministry of Finance’s three-month report on budgetary performance 2022/2023 reveals government travel increased by $2.3 million.

Davis stressed the importance of being present at international meetings, referencing a recent meeting with leaders from the International Monetary Fund.

Davis says by year’s end, it should be within budget.

The report also revealing the Davis administration spent $4.2 million on travel and subsistence, compared to $1.9 million in the same period last year.

The Davis administration budgeted $14.9 million, compared to $10.6 million budgeted in 2021/2022, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Last year, the administration defended travel to Dubai. That was followed by trips to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda… CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Suriname… and the Summit of the Americas in California.

More recently, there’s the controversial trip to Bermuda.