Dubai budget reaffirms port priorities

All talk of the emirate of Dubai being in financially constrained times were thrown out the door this weekend with the 2009 budget showing massively increased spending – and ports and shipping form a core of the projected spending.

The Dubai Government formally announced its budget for 2009 with a 42 per cent jump in government spending to Dh37.7 billion against Dh33.5 billion in revenues that could result in a Dh4.2 billion deficit, or 11.14 per cent of the budget. As much as Dh17.05 billion, or 45 per cent of the budget, has been earmarked for infrastructure, public transport - the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Metro, Dubai Municipality projects, and the Dubai Ports Authority.

Read More