Kingston, Jamaica — 14 March 2026
Debate over Jamaica’s 2026–27 national budget intensified this week after the opposition’s finance spokesman argued in Parliament that the Government’s fiscal challenges predated the recent passage of Hurricane Melissa and were already shaping revenue decisions.
Speaking during his contribution to the Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, the spokesman said the hurricane has been used as a central explanation for new revenue measures. However, he argued that financial pressures were already present before the storm struck.
According to the opposition’s analysis, the Government raised more than $130 billion across two financial years by securitising future revenues from Jamaica’s two international airports. The funds were reportedly generated by converting expected income streams from Norman Manley International Airport and Sangster International Airport into upfront cash through financial arrangements that effectively sell future earnings to inv…
