St. George’s, Grenada – Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell on Wednesday announced a postponement of Grenada’s 2025 budget presentation, moving it from the anticipated November-December 2024 period to January or February 2025.

The decision comes after significant disruptions caused by Hurricane Beryl and recent fiscal developments.

In a News Conference Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Mitchell outlined the reasons behind the delay, citing the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which struck the northern regions of Grenada, particularly Carriacou and Petite Martinique, a few months ago.

The hurricane left widespread damage, overwhelming local infrastructure and demanding a substantial portion of the Government’s resources for recovery efforts.

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell

“First of all, we’ve had a significant disruption caused by Hurricane Beryl,” Mitchell said. “We only recently passed the supplemental budget, which also includes addressing the damage caused by Beryl. We’ve had to take several actions, including suspending some parts of the Fiscal Management and Resilience Act.”

The hurricane’s impact has forced the Government to adopt several extraordinary fiscal measures.

Prime Minister Mitchell explained that they had invoked clauses in their debt agreements to request the suspension of debt payments, allowing the country to redirect funds towards rebuilding and recovery.

The Government says it will use the additional time to engage in broader consultations with stakeholders and citizens, ensuring that the final budget reflects the nation’s most pressing needs and long-term goals.

“We believe it will give us more opportunity to have deeper, more meaningful, and more extensive engagement with our citizens and stakeholders as we prepare the budget,” Mitchell concluded.