A heated debate has unfolded in Grenada’s parliament over a proposed EC$310.9 million supplementary appropriation request, as opposition leaders push for a full commission of inquiry into Hurricane Beryl recovery spending and government ministers defend their fiscal and recovery priorities. The bill, which has already passed the Lower House and is set to go before the Upper House in the coming days, sits against a backdrop of growing tensions over the country’s fiscal health and transparency of post-disaster spending more than two years after the storm hit.
Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall, who tabled the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, laid out the core justifications for the additional funding. He told lawmakers the extra allocation is required to speed up work on the administration’s key priority projects, address unforeseen challenges that arose after the 2026 national budget was finalized, wrap up ongoing Hurricane Beryl recovery work, and deliver targeted support to vulnerable households and impacted communities. The single largest share of the supplementary budget, EC$161 million, is designated for a design-finance-build infrastructure arrangement. Cornwall also outlined the breakdown of financing for the request: approximately EC$3.6 million will come from international grants, EC$29.8 million from concessional loans, and the remaining EC$277.5 million from domestic financing sources.
Beyond recovery and existing priority projects, the supplementary budget also allocates funding to purchase a plot of land adjacent to the Hall of Justice development in Mt Wheldale, which will house the newly established Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority. A portion of the request — EC$20 million specifically earmarked for continued Hurricane Beryl recovery — has drawn the sharpest criticism from opposition leader Dr. Keith Mitchell, who questioned why the government is still requesting new recovery funds more than two years after the hurricane made landfall.
Mitchell pointed out that the administration has already spent EC$211.3 million on Beryl-related efforts to date, a figure that does not include the EC$28 million already allocated for recovery in the 2026 budget, nor the new EC$20 million request now before parliament. He noted that government ministers previously publicly stated all Beryl recovery spending would be completed by June 2025, and called for a full explanation of why additional funds are required, as well as clarity on whether the 2026 allocated recovery funds have already been exhausted. Citing these inconsistencies and broader concerns over fiscal management, Mitchell formally called for an independent commission of inquiry to audit all Beryl recovery expenditure and ensure full public accountability.
Responding directly to the calls for an inquiry, Tevin Andrews, Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs — the two islands hardest hit by Hurricane Beryl — issued an open challenge to opposition critics, stating he has “absolutely nothing to hide” and would welcome any formal investigation. “If anybody wants to bring on any commission of inquiry or any inquiry at all, bring it on. I’m ready because I have absolutely nothing to hide,” Andrews told the Lower House Wednesday.
Andrews went on to detail the progress of recovery work across his constituency over the past two years, pushing back against claims of mismanagement or unspent funds. He told parliament that the government has already completed construction on, or is currently building, 159 new resilient “Build Back Better” homes for displaced residents. To date, 255 families have received direct labor support for home repairs, nearly 4,000 homeowners have been granted assistance for building materials, and more than 100 displaced residents have benefited from rental assistance while their homes are rebuilt.
Beyond direct household support, Andrews emphasized that recovery spending has acted as an economic stimulus for local communities, generating consistent work and income for local hardware retailers, independent contractors, truck and heavy machinery operators, and maritime workers who support reconstruction across the two islands. He added that independent expert assessments estimate total reconstruction costs for Carriacou, Petite Martinique, and northern Grenada will top EC$600 million, making the additional EC$20 million request an essential requirement to keep recovery work on track.
The minister also rejected opposition claims that fishermen and farmers in the affected islands did not receive adequate support after the storm, noting that the government has already spent far more than the EC$11.6 million payout from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) that was earmarked for these sectors. The Beryl-focused portion of the supplementary budget also includes EC$2 million for ongoing upgrades to Petite Martinique’s main road and other road infrastructure across Carriacou, EC$200,000 for improvements to Limlair Farm, and funding for the Hillsborough Enhancement Project, which aims to modernize public spaces and boost long-term development in the town.
The EC$310.9 million supplementary request has also amplified broader opposition concerns about Grenada’s overall fiscal position, which is already carrying a projected EC$309.8 million deficit — equal to roughly 7.3% of GDP — in the government’s record EC$1.96 billion 2026 national budget. Mitchell argued that the size of the unbudgeted supplementary request signals deep financial instability for the country. “Now we are asking for a supplemental of literally EC$310-plus million…based on the information provided, I could only project that Grenada is facing serious financial problems in meeting the responsibilities of managing the affairs of the country,” he said.
Mitchell drew a direct contrast between the current fiscal outlook and the position left by his previous administration, claiming he left office with a surplus of more than EC$500 million and a balanced budget where recurring expenditure was fully matched by recurring revenue, eliminating the need for deficit financing. As the bill moves to the Upper House for approval, the government’s spending priorities, transparency around post-hurricane recovery, and long-term fiscal strategy remain under intense public and political scrutiny.