After two weeks of deliberations, the Legislative Assembly on Friday afternoon voted and passed the SAT$1.08 billion Budget for the fiscal year 2023/2024. 

The passing of the Government's Budget wrapped up two weeks of parliamentary debate with the proceedings on Thursday ending at 12 midnight. 

Guided by the theme, "Advancing growth through sustainable pathways conducive to socio-economic welfare and building resilience", the new financial year's budget is $134 million more than the last budget brought down by the current administration. 

The Ministry of Health (MOH) got the largest slice of the pie followed by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC). While the biggest funding boost went to the Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development (MWCSD) with their budget going up $14 million, mainly to cater for the Government's $1 million District Development Project which will be continued in the new financial year.

Minister for Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale–Molioo, during her address on Friday, explained that the budget is expected to record a cash deficit of approximately $185.7 million which is equivalent to a Net Lending requirement of $88.1 million under the Government's Financial System or 3.3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

She also emphasised that the projected increase in taxes is attributed solely to the anticipation of increased economic activity driven by Government spending and a recovering global economy but in no way does it indicate any increased tax rates.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (M.A.F.) received $19.9 million, which is a light increase of around $300,000 from last year. The Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.) got $5.8 million while the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.) was allocated $18.9 million which is a drop of almost $2 million from last year.

With a busy tourism period anticipated, the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) got $7.2 million while the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (M.C.I.T.) received $11.6 million. 

The Office of the Regulator was allocated $3.8 million while the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C.) received a $7 million increase with a new budgetary allocation of $139.2 million.

Samoa Qualifications Authority (S.Q.A.) is all set to get $6.9 million while the Samoa Sports Facility Authority has been allocated $3.6 million and the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) $30.9 million.

The Ministry of Finance (M.O.F.) budget got an increase of $10 million to boost its budgetary allocation to $114.4 million, of this $20 million is for C.H.O.G.M. 2024 preparations, $3 million for the Concessional Financing Facility through the Development Bank of Samoa for businesses to prepare for C.H.O.G.M. while $33.4 million was allocated for the Senior Citizens Pension Scheme, with $2 million for the Disability Benefit Package and $1 million for the Government's forensic audit project.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (M.F.A.T.) received $27.2 million while the Ministry of Health got $146.5 million which has increased by $6 million from the previous year.

A total of $1.6 million had been set aside for returning graduates (doctors/nurses), $5 million for the Overseas Medical Treatment Scheme, $3 million for the Medical Specialist Clinic, $1 million for district hospital refurbishments and another $1 million for rural doctors’ residences.

The National Kidney Foundation received $10.9 million while the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration gets $15.6 million. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) was allocated $29.3 million and the Ministry of Police, Prisons and Corrections Services got $55.7 million, which is an increase of almost $4 million.