"Surplus" on budget 2009

September 11, 2008 7:42 AM

Minister Ersilia de Lannooy (Finance, PNP) has build in a 10 million guilder reserve in the budget for 2009. Because the budget is balanced, – no loss, but also no bank balance – the reserve is in fact a ‘surplus’.

The reserve is for ‘lightning in bad times’ and will be used to deal with the aging problems. Also structural improvements and renewal of the apparatus of government will be paid out of this reserve.

In order to come to a balanced budget – even with a reserve built in – De Lannooy assumed that the definitions about reduction in the financial burden in the final declaration, the transition accord, and the accession accord are implemented. “Estimate is for the future and we anticipate that reduction in the financial burden in the near future”, motivated De Lannooy her approach last year to include the above definitions. Last year’s build in reserve was 14.8 million guilders.

This is the second year in a row that the national budget is drawn up ‘in the light of future political relations’. If a duty of the National Government is transferred to an island territory, the money connected to that duty is also transferred. Parliament will have to give permission for each money transfer.

For 2009, the National Government anticipates a sales-tax proceed of 391.3 millions (370 millions this year); import-tax proceeds of 179.5 (175 this year); excise-tax 121.1 millions (120 this year); other income from taxes 46.5 millions (43.3 this year); other income not from taxes 431.4 millions (312.1 this year).
The budget was presented to the Chairman of Parliament yesterday.

(Source: National Newspaper Amigoe)

10 september, 2008