National Budget of US$7.6 Billion Proposed for 2012

Honduras Weekly
Finance Minister William Chong Wong on Wednesday submitted to Congress the Lobo administration's 2012 national budget for Honduras. The government is requesting Lps 144.3 billion (US$7.6 billion), or an increase of 7.9 percent over the current-year budget of Lps133.3 billion (US$7 billion), approved by Congress on December 2, 2010. Of the total spending proposed for next year, Lps 79.6 billion (US$4.2 billion) would allocated for administration of the central government and Lps 64.8 billion (US$3.4 billion) for regional and local governments. The top priority continues to be the Ministry of Education, for which the government has requested Lps 23.2 billion (US$1.2 billion). Of that amount, approximately Lps 1.1 billion (US$57.9 million) would go to pay for teacher salaries and Lps 910 million (US$47.9 million) to fund requirements specified under the Teachers' Statute, which likely involve pay increases and retirement benefits.

The government is proposing to spend Lps 10.66 billion (US$561 million) for the Ministry of Health; Lps 3.76 billion (US$198 million), Ministry of Interior; Lps 3.48 billion (US$183 million), Ministry of Security; Lps 2.97 billion (US$156 million), Ministry of Defense; Lps 2.85 billion (US$150 million), Ministry of Public Works Transportation and Housing (Soptravi); Lps 2.6 billion (US$136 million), Ministry of Finance; Lps 1.3 billion (US$684 million), Family Allowance Program (Praf); Lps 1.36 billion (US$71.6 million), Ministry of the Presidency; and Lps 1.26 billion (US$66 million), Highway Fund.

Congress is required by law to approve a budget before the end of the calendar year. (9/16/11)