When a week begins with Valentine?s Day and ends with the seventh annual PLP Government Budget day, you just know it?s going to be a good one.

It?s here again already: this Friday, MPs will return to the House to begin the biggest debate of the year, the Budget Debate.

They will spend days hammering out the details in the House of Assembly, distributing hundreds of millions of dollars from the public purse ? but in common with parliamentary tradition, they were they giving no hints yesterday as to what the Budget will look like.

All Cabinet Ministers contacted by said it would be ?unprofessional? to give any sneak previews of the Budget Statement in support of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure 2005/06.

Still, there are several questions that Finance Minister Paula Cox will have to answer when she reads the Budget Statement.

Last year, she gave seniors a welcome nine percent increase in pensions ? but paid for it out of the $11 million windfall given to the Island from the US to pay for repairs to Longbird Bridge.

How the Minister will manage to maintain that increase this year remains to be seen. The last $3 million of the ?bridge money? was put into a special Government account last year ? perhaps she will use that ? or she may be forced to raise contributions for the Government pension funds.

Capital projects may figure prominently in the Speech. In the November 2004 Throne Speech, Government promised to construct two-, three- and four-bedroom manufactured emergency housing.

It could also go towards the beginning of construction on the new Magistrates? Court and Hamilton Police Station this year or towards the building of the new Central Core at the National Centre in Devonshire, including the convention centre which has lately been promoted by Premier Alex Scott and Deputy Premier Ewart Brown.

There?s also finishing the St. George?s Rest Home, the addition of a third stream at Tynes Bay, plans for the Emissions and Safety Testing Facility for the Ministry of Transport and the completion of the second senior secondary school at Berkeley Road.

Government will have to find ways to make up for the loss of revenue after announcing last year that it would eliminate Stamp Duty/Estate tax on the primary homestead, and legislated Customs duty relief for hotels, restaurants, and approved housing schemes such as the Harbourside Village in St. David?s.

Public transportation fares were raised just last year, and so may be left alone this year ? the same goes for payroll tax and tax on cigarettes.

Taxes on alcohol could be raised, however.

Taxes for farmers, fishermen, hotels, guest houses, restaurants, charitable organisations, churches and small businesses were not increased last year, as those sectors struggled to recover from the effects of Hurricane Fabian, but may now be due for an increase.

Although the economy continued to be strong this year, it is likely that some new revenue will have to be raised to meet rising inflation, especially for wages and salaries of Government workers.

Earlier this year, civil servants received a 4.5 percent salary increase and blue collar workers may get a similar raise after rejecting a four percent offer rise recently.

Bermuda?s image as a international business jurisdiction may receive some attention from the Finance Minister amid concerns about pricing the Island out of the market. Fees were raised last year, and so may not be raised this year.

After one Press release from the Department of Communication and Information several weeks ago made a seemingly unintentional reference to ?forthcoming concessions? for small businesses, it seems safe to assume that some sort of concessions will be made.

In the 2004 Throne Speech, Government promised to work with banks to provide assistance to small and medium-sized businesses, though whether that assistance would be in the form of Government financial support in partnership with banks ? or some other initiative ? will hopefully be revealed on Friday.

Either way, with the spectre of Pro-Active Management System?s failed attempts to secure financing from banks for the second senior secondary school construction project still looming, any moves in that direction will probably be welcomed.

Government may also have to set aside funds pertaining to the pending arbitration between Government and that company may also have to be provided for in the 2005/06 Budget, although Premier Alex Scott has stated that Government believes it has a strong case and no payouts will be made. No date has yet been announced for the arbitration.

Other Budget previews were given during the Throne Speech.

For example, from the emphasis placed on the watershed Social Agenda, funding for the Ministry which usually receives the least amount of Government money ? the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs ? could increase quite dramatically.

Social Agenda initiatives such as the National Youth Development Strategy, the Community Areas Programme, and the promised funding for community-based individuals or organisations that initiate programmes/activities to improve their communities could all fall under that Ministry.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce will likely take over Community and Cultural Affairs? position as the lowest-funded Government Ministry after last summer?s Cabinet reshuffle. The resignation of then-Tourism Minister Renee Webb in July 2004 led to the fusing of the Department of Tourism with the Ministry of Transport under Minister Ewart Brown, leaving Telecommunications and E-Commerce (formerly together with Tourism) on its own under Minister Michael Scott.

Despite the reshuffle and drastic changes to Tourism?s outlook in the 2005, however, Dr. Brown recently declared that he will be asking for no increase in funds for the Department.

That should provide for some fancy footwork within the Department?s books, at least some of which Dr. Brown outlined at a recent Tourism media luncheon ? including the closing of North American offices and the creation of satellite-based home offices, a move which could save a significant amount of money.

He will need it in his efforts to market Bermuda as a year-round destination ? last year, Ms Webb allocated most of the marketing budget to the season formerly known as the ?peak? season, while this year it can be assumed that Dr. Brown will want to spread his marketing budget more evenly throughout the year.

As for the Ministry of Transport, the possibility of funding for a new fast ferry for St. George?s is an exciting one, while the Throne Speech promise to implement a demerit points system for vehicle licenses may have to be provided for in the Transport Control Department?s budget.

Last year, the Health Ministry had a commanding lead in the Government funding race over other Ministries, beating out the nearest Ministry ? the Ministry of Education ? by more than $20 million.

This year, money will have to be set aside within that Ministry for several Throne Speech initiatives, such as Government?s promise to ?recommend resources? families who are caring for senior relatives. Senior health issues forums and wellness clinics due to be set up across the Island can also be expected to cost money, while funds for the hospital will likely remain the number one priority in the Health Ministry?s budget.

With the absorption of the National Drug Commission into that Ministry no money will need to be set aside for an NDC grant ? however the Ministry will have to absorb the costs of doing the NDC?s job.

Last year substantial sums were set aside within the Ministry of Education for several pilot programmes such as the controversial ASHAY: Rites of Passage programme tested at Dellwood. Whether that programme, promoting black history, will be continued, may be revealed in this year?s Budget.

Repeated calls throughout the year to give the Department of Planning more teeth may result in increases in funding to that Department for the hiring of more planning/compliance officers, while funding for renovations to Bermuda Housing Corporation properties and derelict properties on the Island will be found within the Ministry of Works and Engineering?s budget.

Security might receive the majority of the focus in Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety, and with fears of violent crime on the rise the Bermuda Police Service could also receive a boost.

Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton recently announced Cabinet had approved the hiring of 11 additional officers for the Police Support Unit. That is likely to cost more than $500,000 alone.

Expanding the Communities that Care project as well as Throne Speech promises to establish a junior cadets programme in the schools and increase the role of the Schools Resource Officers should also result in more money for the Police.

In the 2003 Throne Speech Government spoke of implementing full-time Cabinet Ministers. The 2004/05 Budget set funding aside for reviewing Minister?s salaries (in March they gave themselves a cost of living pay rise), however no further mention has been made of full-time Ministers. Perhaps more will be revealed on Friday.

Finally, will the 2005/06 Budget set any money aside for tackling the issue of Independence? The Bermuda Independence Commission has already stated that members will be travelling overseas as part of their research, and a report is due in June. How much money will be set aside to discuss sovereignty?

Government knows ? but they aren?t telling until Friday. For now, we will just have to wait and see.