Listin Diario reports that despite the announced government policy to give priority to education, health and agriculture, government support to those ministries declined from January to September of this year, compared to the same period in 2000. The government instead has given priority to the Ministry of Armed Forces, Ministry of Interior & Police and the Ministry of Finance which all received large increases in funding. Education received 13% of the budget, down from 14% last year. Health received 11%, down from 12%. Agriculture funding declined to 5.63% from 5.82%. The Armed Forces budget increased to 7.8%, up from 7.08%, and the Police budget went up to 8.47% from 8.14% of the total. The Ministry of Finances (which pays public employees) received the highest increase, going to 21.4%, up from 16.81%.
