The Budget will be delivered later than usual next month — with Finance Minister Paula Cox today explaining that Government “wanted to give ourselves more manoeuvrability”.

The Deputy Premier will deliver the National Budget Statement in the House of Assembly on Friday, February 26 — the latest it has been given in the last six years.

The 2009/10 Budget was announced on February 20 and in the previous four years it was given on February 15, 16, 17 and 18, respectively.

Ms Cox said this afternoon: “There is no statutory prescribed time for when the Budget is delivered as long as we provide for it to be passed prior to April 1. We are confident that there will be sufficient time to have the Budget passed and the money bills in time for April 1.

“These are challenging times, and the Bermuda Government does not take this process lightly. Given the economic environment and the exigencies it presents, we wanted to give ourselves more manoeuvrability.”

* See tomorrow’s edition of The Royal Gazette for full story and reaction.