SVG: Budget Debate Suspended, More Government Ministers Test Covid Positive

The 2022 Budget debate in St Vincent and the Grenadines has hit a snag as Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves and Minister of Urban Development Julian Francis have tested positive for COVID-19.

This now brings to four the number of government ministers who have tested positive for COVID, which also include Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar and Minister of Education Curtis King.

The finance minister and urban development minister both tested positive this morning on the rapid test as they were preparing to go to the House of Assembly.

A rapid test is required before one enters the Parliament given the spread of omicron and other variants.

Two ministers have also fallen ill with a digestion problem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works, Montgomery Daniel, and Keisal Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

These updates were provided in the House of Assembly this morning by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

He told the Speaker of the House that given the train of circumstances the sitting should be suspended until tomorrow morning to let Leader of the Opposition Dr. Godwin Friday respond to the Budget address delivered by the finance minister last evening.

Yesterday the finance minister delivered a tax-free budget.

PM Gonsalves says he can understand the leader of the opposition not wanting to deliver his address either in the absence of the Minister of Finance or Deputy Prime Minister.

The prime minister mentioned that he has tested negative for COVID-19 yet again.