Barbados Estimates of Expenditure and Revenue for the Financial Year 2026-2027 Laid In Parliament

  • The Barbados Government today laid the 2026-2027 Estimates of Expenditure and Revenue in Parliament, officially kicking off the budgetary cycle. The submission included a projected forecast for the current 2025-2026 financial year, providing a comparative look at the nation's fiscal performance. These documents serve as the foundation for the upcoming Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill, 2026, which is scheduled to begin on March 2, 2026.
  • The revised deficit of $83.8Mn, on the IFI basis, represents -0.5% of GDP at market prices, estimated at $16.24Bn. The primary surplus for the financial year 2025-2026 is estimated to be $658.4Mn or 4.1% of GDP on a cash basis.
  • On the accrual basis, current revenue for the next fiscal year is projected at $5.28Bn.  On the cash basis, current revenue is projected at $5.18Bn, an increase of $1.32Bn or 34.3% over the revised 2025-2026 level of $3.86Bn.
  • It is estimated that the government’s total expenditure for the financial year 2026-2027, on the accrual basis, will be $6.14Bn (inclusive of amortisation).  Of the amount approved for the 2026-2027 financial year, $5.15Bn represents current expenditure and $973.80Mn represents capital expenditure and amortisation. When converted to the cash basis, total expenditure is expected to be $5.08Bn, exclusive of amortisation, with current expenditure of $4.19Mn and capital expenditure of $889.8Mn. Current expenditure is above the revised 2025-2026 figure of $3.42n by $766.7Mn.
  • Expenditure on goods and services is expected to increase by $376.2Mn over the revised figure for 2025-2026 of $590.5Mn to $966.7Mn. Current transfers are projected to increase by $368.4Mn or 32% to $1.52Mn.
  • The repayment of principal and interest on the government’s debt is expected to account for $1.50Bn. The primary balance is projected to be a surplus of $817.5 million, representing 4.8% of GDP (estimated at $17.06Bn) on the cash basis.

(Source: Barbados Today)