Download 2018/2019 Budget Guide

The Ministry of Finance released a simplified version of the 2018/2019 Budget as a newspaper supplement and digital magazine to support its public education initiatives.

As the first of its kind in the country, the Budget Guide is intended to be a simpler, less technical version of the official budget documents. They contain hundreds of financial pages with complex technical information. The Budget Guide is inspired by the international best practice of publishing Citizen’s Budgets.

These are utilized in countries across the globe to provide information on how a government intends to improve or provide for its citizenry during a fiscal year. Topics most often include: revenue collection, policy initiatives, spending allocations, and economic predictions and expectations.

The 12 page magazine style booklet is not intended to replace the technical budget communications that are tabled in the House of Assembly, and made available online. The Budget Guide complements the official documents, presenting key information in easy to understand language. The public is encouraged to use the Budget Guide as an educational reference document to learn about the Budget and to hold the government accountable.

“We want citizens to understand how the government will utilize the people’s money entrusted with us to manage. Transparency, integrity and accountability are important to the Government, and this public education tool is a way of demonstrating that,” said Peter Turnquest, Deputy Prime Minister.

The 2018/2019 Budget guide will be disseminated across the country and can be found on a variety of media outlets including newspapers and online media.The Budget Guide was printed in the Nassau Guardian on June 21 and will be reprinted on June 25 in the Tribune. It is also available online at www.bahamas.gov.bs and at FinanceBAH on Facebook.