Constitution of The BahamasIn briefPublic spending each financial year must be authorised by an Appropriation Act, with rules for supplementary and final appropriations and for statutory expenditure.
The Minister of Finance shall, in respect of each financial year, at the earliest convenient moment before the commencement of that financial year, introduce in the House of Assembly an Appropriation Bill containing, under appropriate heads for the several services required, the estimated aggregated sums which are proposed to be expended (otherwise than by way of statutory expenditure) during that financial year.
For each financial year, the Minister of Finance must introduce in the House of Assembly, at the earliest convenient moment before that financial year begins, an Appropriation Bill (a bill authorising public spending). The bill must set out, under appropriate headings for the various services needed, the estimated total sums proposed to be spent during that financial year, other than statutory expenditure (spending already required by law).
Subject to paragraphs (4) and (6) of this Article, the sums set out in the Appropriation Act in respect of a financial year shall represent the limit and extent of the public expenditure for that financial year.
Subject to paragraphs (4) and (6) of this Article, the sums set out in the Appropriation Act for a financial year are the limit and extent of public spending for that financial year.
Where any sum is set out in the Appropriation Act in respect of a financial year and at the end of that year there is an unexpended balance of that sum, the unexpended balance shall lapse.
If any sum set out in the Appropriation Act for a financial year has not been fully spent by the end of that year, the unspent balance lapses (can no longer be spent).
The Minister of Finance may, in case of necessity, from time to time cause to be prepared supplementary estimates of expenditure which shall be laid before and voted on by the House of Assembly.
When necessary, the Minister of Finance may from time to time have supplementary estimates of spending prepared. These must be laid before and voted on by the House of Assembly.
In respect of all supplementary expenditure voted on by the House of Assembly in pursuance of paragraph (4) of this Article, the Minister of Finance may, at any time before the end of the financial year, introduce into the House of Assembly a Supplementary Appropriation Bill containing, under appropriate heads, the aggregate sums so voted and shall, as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, introduce into the House of Assembly a final Appropriation Bill containing any such sums which have not yet been included in any Appropriation Bill.
For all supplementary spending voted by the House of Assembly under paragraph (4) of this Article, the Minister of Finance may, at any time before the end of the financial year, introduce in the House of Assembly a Supplementary Appropriation Bill setting out, under appropriate headings, the total sums voted. As soon as possible after the end of each financial year, the Minister must introduce in the House of Assembly a final Appropriation Bill containing any such sums that have not yet been included in any Appropriation Bill.
That part of any estimate of expenditure laid before the House of Assembly which shows statutory expenditure shall not be voted on by the House, and such expenditure shall, without further authority of Parliament, be paid out of the Consolidated Fund.
The part of any spending estimate laid before the House of Assembly that shows statutory expenditure is not voted on by the House. That spending is paid out of the Consolidated Fund (the Government's main account) without any further authority from Parliament.
For the purposes of this Article and Article 129 of this Constitution-
For the purposes of this Article and Article 129 of this Constitution:
"financial year" means any period of twelve months beginning of 1st January in any year or such other date as Parliament may prescribe; and
"financial year" means any period of twelve months beginning on 1st January in any year, or on any other date that Parliament sets; and
"statutory expenditure" means expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund or on the General revenues and assents of the Bahamas by any provisions of this Constitution or of any other law for the time being in force in The Bahamas.
"statutory expenditure" means spending charged on the Consolidated Fund or on the general revenues and assets of The Bahamas by any provision of this Constitution or of any other law in force in The Bahamas at the time.