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Introduction
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Mr. Speaker, it is once again that time of the year when the Nation comes to know of Government's achievements of the past year as well as the plans and priorities for the coming year. Two years ago March 6, I stood before this august house to read what I referred to as my first budget speech. Today, I stand before the same house to read my third and last budget speech. It would be remiss of me not to thank all of you for the support, encouragement, constructive criticisms and directions that you have given me and my ministry during this period.
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Indeed, it is my pleasure to extend the same gratitude to the ordinary citizens, the media, and my friends and relatives for doing the same. Due to this, I definitely know that as I stand before you today, I am wiser than a couple of years ago. This I owe to you and especially to the people of Mafutseni who had confidence in electing me to represent them in Parliament. Without their votes, which they cast on that rainy day in 1998, I would not have made it this far.
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Mr. Speaker, my sincere gratitude goes to His Majesty, who took a gamble by appointing a relatively unknown MP into his cabinet, and in so doing assigned me with major responsibilities at such difficult economic times.
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Mr. Speaker, as this Honourable House is aware, this year comes with a number of challenges in the global, regional and national arenas. Some of these challenges have already been mentioned by His Majesty King Mswati III in his Speech from the Throne at the State Opening of Parliament a few weeks ago, for which Government is very grateful.
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The three functions of the budget are: control of public resources; planning for future resource allocation, and; management of resources. Mr. Speaker, let me start this Budget Speech with a review of some of the challenges in the global and regional arenas, which will establish the constraints and opportunities that will shape our domestic activities.
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- 118Kb ~ 1 min (42 pages)
