PARLIAMENT has passed the $5.6 billion total appropriation for the 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025 without any amendments on Wednesday afternoon.
This follows Parliament’s decision to allocate an extra day to complete proceedings, after members were unable to conclude scrutiny of the bill within the four days designated for the Committee of Supply under the Standing Orders.
Parliament successfully passed the $3.9 billion recurrent budget on Tuesday. With the extension provided under Standing Order 81, MPs yesterday proceeded to approve the remaining components:
- Recurrent Expenditure for Budget Support: $193.2 million
- Development Expenditure Budget: $260.5 million
These bring the total appropriation to $5.6 billion.
Minister of Finance and Treasury, Rexson Annex Ramofafia, confirmed during the third reading that the bill had passed through the Committee of Supply without amendments. Speaker Patterson Oti subsequently declared the budget approved.
Earlier, Minister Ramofafia outlined the Government’s medium-term macroeconomic objectives:
a. Achieving an average GDP growth rate of 3–5 percent, supporting increased economic activity in both rural and urban areas, and lifting employment levels by around 3 percent.
b. Keeping domestic inflation at or below 3 percent.
c. Maintaining sustainable budget balances aligned with revenue growth and financing capacity.
d. Ensuring debt levels remain manageable.
e. Gradually rebuilding cash reserves through the transfer of surplus revenues.
He said the 2026 Budget marks a shift from “business as usual” toward a more proactive and transformative approach, reflected in its theme:
“Accelerate Economic Transformation: Resourcing the Resourced for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development.”
“I have noted the House fully supports the 2026 budget theme,” the minister said. “The theme demonstrates that business as usual is no longer an option—we need strong government support and political will to make transformative actions, and GNUT is ready.”
Parliament will resume at 9:30am Thursday.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
