Liberia beefs up budget

2004-04-07 10:56

Monrovia - Liberia's transitional legislature has passed the budget recently submitted to it by interim leader Gyude Bryant.

But instead of the $23.5m budget submitted by Bryant, the legislature passed a budget of $25.7m budget for the period from February to June, the legislative press bureau told reporters on Tuesday.

According to the bureau, $2.7m will go to education, $2.03m to health and $1.5m to national defence.

The bureau said $1.5m has been set aside for a disarmament campaign which is to recommence on April 15.

"This budget is from domestic revenue generated from the maritime, customs and other business entities," the bureau quoted the chairman of the ways, means and finance committee, Tapplah Doe, as saying.

The allotment for state radio was increased by 50%, while Cuttington University College, which has in recent times been plagued with financial difficulties, was given $200 000 to enable it re-open.

The state-run University of Liberia also received $300 000 to enable it to reopen its doors. The university has remained closed since last year.

No mention was made of the planned increase in civil servants' salaries.

The budget also made no provision for payment of the backlog of salary arrears inherited from the former president Charles Taylor's administration which total millions of dollars.

- AFP