Article 132. Withdrawal of money in advance of Appropriation ActSpending before the Appropriation Act is passed

Where at any time for any justifiable reason, the Appropriation Bill in respect of any financial year has not come into operation by the beginning of that financial year, the Minister of Finance may, to such an extent and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, or if no conditions have been prescribed on a resolution to that effect passed by the House of Assembly, issue a warrant for the payment out of the Consolidated Fund or other public funds of The Bahamas of such sums as he may consider necessary for the continuance of the public service, but a statement of the sums so authorized shall, as soon as practicable, be laid before and voted on by the House of Assembly and the aggregate sums so voted shall be included, under the appropriate heads, in the next Appropriation Bill immediately following.

If, for any justifiable reason, the Appropriation Bill for a financial year has not come into force by the start of that financial year, the Minister of Finance may issue a warrant (a written payment order) for payment out of the Consolidated Fund (the Government's main account) or other public funds of The Bahamas of the sums the Minister considers necessary to keep the public service running. The Minister may do this to the extent and on the conditions set by law or, if no conditions have been set, on a resolution of the House of Assembly to that effect. A statement of the sums authorised in this way must be laid before and voted on by the House of Assembly as soon as practicable, and the total sums voted must be included, under the appropriate headings, in the next Appropriation Bill that follows.