Government has to align its budget towards tackling the adverse impacts of COVID-19 - Kumar

As Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will present a Supplementary Budget to parliament later this month, Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Premila Kumar says she knows that the government has to align its budget towards tackling the adverse impacts of COVID-19.

She says there are certain government ministries that will require more funding and one of them is the Ministry of Health.

Kumar says municipal councils now need to prepare themselves in terms of cleaning and disinfecting public areas.

She says municipal council workers will require protected clothing and materials for disinfection and the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation will help the municipal councils.

Kumar further says that travel, trade and manufacturing will be affected and government interventions will be in these three areas.

She says they need to continue marketing for tourism in New Zealand and Australia as they never go wrong with these two countries.

Kumar says they met with the heads of various organisations that represent businesses and they have raised some issues on how they are getting affected and what needs to be done.

Kumar says they have requested the business community to put their suggestions in a written submission and her Ministry will go through them before the Ministry makes a submission to the Ministry of Economy.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will present a Supplementary Budget to parliament on Thursday, 26th March 2020 at 7.30pm.