GREAT BAY--Government and Parliament have budgeted a combined 3,305,069 for travel in 2026, with the seven government ministries accounting for 1,873,709 and Parliament, together with its Secretariat or Griffie, accounting for another 1,431,360, according to figures contained in the draft 2026 budget book.
The combined allocation is 494,362 higher than the 2,810,707 budgeted in 2025, representing an increase of approximately 17.6 percent.
Across the seven government ministries, the total travel allocation rises from 1,641,007 in 2025 to 1,873,709 in 2026, an increase of 232,702, or approximately 14.2 percent.
The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, TEATT, has by far the largest travel allocation in government for 2026 at 685,000, compared to 401,537 in 2025. This represents an increase of 283,463, or 70.59 percent.
The Ministry of Justice follows with a total travel budget of 302,500, up from 283,500 in 2025. General Affairs has budgeted 267,700, up from 205,125, while Finance has allocated 245,000, compared to 235,000 in 2025.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, VSA, has a 2026 travel budget of 152,000, down from 225,000, while the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, ECYS, has budgeted 123,509, down from 200,845.
The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, VROMI, has the smallest ministry-wide travel allocation at 98,000, compared to 90,000 in 2025.
The ministry-wide 2026 travel budgets are therefore:
- TEATT: 685,000
- Justice: 302,500
- General Affairs: 267,700
- Finance: 245,000
- VSA: 152,000
- ECYS: 123,509
- VROMI: 98,000
Within those ministry totals, the draft budget also identifies travel allocations specifically assigned to the offices of the seven Ministers. Together, the Ministers have 380,000 budgeted for travel in 2026.
The Minister of TEATT has the highest individual Minister travel allocation at 75,000, up from 50,000 in 2025. The Ministers of General Affairs, Finance and ECYS each have 60,000 budgeted for travel, while the Minister of VROMI has 50,000, the Minister of Justice 45,000, and the Minister of VSA 30,000.
The Ministers' Cabinets have separate travel allocations totaling another 233,000, bringing combined travel allocations directly attached to the seven Ministers and their Cabinets to 613,000.
General Affairs has 60,000 budgeted under the Minister and another 50,000 under the Cabinet, for a combined 110,000. Finance has a combined Minister and Cabinet allocation of 120,000, while Justice has 60,000, ECYS 75,000, VSA 45,000, TEATT 125,000 and VROMI 78,000.
Parliament's allocation is also significant. The budget lists 1,263,140 in travel costs for Parliament itself in 2026, compared to 1,056,360 in 2025. The increase is 206,780, or 19.57 percent.
The Parliament Secretariat or Griffie has a separate travel allocation of 168,220, compared to 113,340 in 2025, an increase of 54,880, or 48.42 percent.
Together, Parliament and its Griffie therefore have 1,431,360 budgeted for travel in 2026, up from 1,169,700 in 2025. This represents an increase of 261,660, or approximately 22.4 percent.
The figures mean that while the seven government ministries collectively account for approximately 1.87 million in travel allocations, Parliament and its administrative support operation account for another 1.43 million, bringing the combined 2026 total to just over 3.3 million.
