Calls grow louder for hike in CDF

TWO Members of Parliament (MPs), from different sides of the aisle, used their contribution to the 2026/27 State of the Constituency Debate on Tuesday to add their voices to those calling for an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation. MP for Westmoreland Eastern, the Opposition’s Dr Dayton Campbell, and MP for St Andrew North Western, the Government’s Duane Smith, both argued that the current allocation of $20 million was woefully inadequate to address the growing needs of their constituents. Campbell pointed out that of the current CDF allocation, MPs are mandated to set aside $1.5 million to pay the administrator $1 million for welfare, and $1 million for social housing.

“That takes out $3.5 million of the $20 million upfront and then we are mandated that education has to be $5 million and I would dare say all of us in here spend more than $5 million on education. “Which means that we are left with less than half of the amount to treat with all the other issues within the constituency,” said Campbell. He made a comparison between the CDF and the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network (SPARK) programme, noting that $306 million was budgeted for 10 roads in his constituency under this scheme.

“But the CDF, I would have to save the $20 million, all of it, for 15 years just to match that allocation,” he said. “So when persons complain about our inability to fix a road, or to fix water in a community, that is not an issue that can really be dealt with by the office of the Member of Parliament. “I don’t believe that when we are elected we should become the chief mendicant,” Campbell told his fellow parliamentarians.

“I do not believe that we should be left at the whim and fancy of a minister who may like, or not like us, who may like the party we represent or not like the party,” added Campbell. He argued that MPs should be empowered in such a way that they can make meaningful representation on behalf of the people who elected them. As such, he said consideration should be given to the proposal that was made by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding who created the CDF in 2008.

Golding had recommended that 0.5 per cent of the national budget be allocated to the CDF and Campbell pointed out that based on the current budget of $1.3 trillion that would amount to around $6.7 billion, for a breakdown of $106 millio…