(CMR) The government of Antigua and Barbuda says it may have to take a loan in order to meet its obligation to 13,000 public sector workers.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne over the weekend revealed that the country was still in the midst of figuring out how to meet April’s payroll for its workers.
“It is estimated that we may raise about 25 of the 80 million dollars that we were projected to raise for the month. That means the government will have to borrow even to pay salaries and wages,” said Browne.
The country’s chief of staff noted that due to the country’s 24-hour lockdown, 80 percent of the businesses on the island are not in operation.
The lack of operations, has meant that the government’s coffers have seen a massive reduction in available funds, usually generated from tax contributions.
The decline in revenues is a common complaint all over the country, with reports of a 40 percent drop in customs revenue for the month of April and a similar situation at the Inland Revenue Department.
The Antiguan government spends between $30 to $32 million on wages each month.
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