MP Says Government Seeking EC$1.6B in Borrowing Despite ‘Surplus’ Claims

Bowen Alleges Unapproved Spending, Says Budget Masks Deficit and Borrowing

Opposition MP Sherfield Bowen on Friday accused the Gaston Browne administration of engaging in unapproved and improper spending, arguing that the 2026 budget presentation masks significant deficits while simultaneously seeking new borrowing authority.

Speaking during the Budget Debate, Bowen said the government’s claim of a fiscal surplus does not withstand scrutiny when the figures are examined closely. He told Parliament that the surplus is achieved by excluding key debt-related expenditures, a move he described as misleading and inconsistent with standard accounting practice.

Bowen said the budget removes debt amortization from expenditure calculations to present a positive balance, even though those obligations remain real and payable. When the figures are calculated correctly, he argued, the government is operating at a deficit, not a surplus.

He told lawmakers that based on his assessment, the budget reflects a primary deficit and an overall deficit, despite being presented as a surplus of more than EC$200 million.

Bowen also questioned why the government is seeking new borrowing authority immediately after declaring a surplus. He noted that Parliament is being asked to approve borrowing of approximately US$600 million (about EC$1.6 billion), an amount he said far exceeds what would be necessary if government revenues were truly sufficient to meet expenditure.

“If we have a surplus, why are we borrowing?” Bowen asked, arguing that the contradiction raises serious concerns about how public funds are being managed.

He said the scale of borrowing being sought is inconsistent with the expenditure needs outlined in the Appropriation Bill, and suggested that spending is occurring beyond what is being transparently disclosed to Parliament.

Bowen linked the issue of unapproved spending to broader concerns about access to public records, saying his attempts to obtain information from state entities have been repeatedly blocked. He argued that withholding financial and asset data prevents Parliament from verifying whether government spending has been properly authorised.

He said the pattern of deficit spending and borrowing has persisted for years, despite repeated assurances that public finances are improving. “It is not getting better,” Bowen told Parliament. “It is getting worse.”

The government has not yet responded directly to Bowen’s claims.

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