$45M cut, but schools will have food

Despite a $45.3 million reduction in the allocation to the national school feeding programme, there will be no reduction in the production of breakfast and lunches, says Education Minister Anthony Garcia.

Asked on Monday at the meeting of the Standing Finance Committee in Parliament, why the marked decrease in the allocation to the National Schools Dietary Services Limited by $43.3 million from the 2017 revised estimates of $200 million, Garcia said, “As with everything else we have received some budgetary cuts.”

However, he added, “we have been assured by the National Schools Dietary Limited that everything is going to be put in place, so that those who are most in need will not be disadvantaged.” The Ministry is determined, he said, not to reduce the quantum of meals that will be served.We are going to ensure that in discussions with our caterers, they are going to use every means possible to ensure that there is value for money. Of the $200 million allocated last year, he said.

“There was $32.1 million that was owed. Some of it was paid in 2017.” The actual expenditure by the school feeding programme in 2016 was $235.5 million.

Asked if the ministry was carrying over debts from last year, Garcia said, the last time the caterers were paid was towards the end of May 2017.

In a review of his allocation, Garcia said, the ministry was allocated almost $843 million for capital and other developmental projects and over $5 billion for recurrent expenditure.