On Friday the Minister of Finance, Paula Cox, delivered the Budget at the House of Assembly and for kids there was some great news.

For grownups the budget is an important event in that it outlines how much Government will spend in the next fiscal year and what exactly it will spend it on. Ms Cox broke her speech down into various areas and explained what money will be spent on housing, health care and so on.

While the Budget certainly isn?t the most interesting of events it is important for kids as well. For example there was good news in the Budget for kids who take the bus and ferry to and from school ? the cost of riding public transport will not go up this year.

If you live in the west end of the Island there is more good news. Government has allocated $1 million to build a Sandys Secondary Middle School Community Centre. The community centre will include a gym and swimming pool for everyone in the area to use and enjoy.

Government?s Budget speech repeatedly mentioned the importance of Bermuda?s youth. In a special section titled ?Nurturing our Youth? Ms Cox spoke about developing youth sports programmes. This year $91,000 will be set aside for developing a national policy to improve youth sports. Programmes that are already helping kids out with sports will get $130,000.

Government is also creating or improving parks in central parishes this year so kids can have somewhere to play safely outdoors. If you live near Harlem Heights or Band Lane, both in Pembroke, green spaces are coming soon so you can play football and just hang out.

Government is also spending $132 million on your education, if you go to a public school. This money goes to paying your teachers, buying supplies for your school and paying for programmes in your school.

These were the main things in the Budget that were targeted at kids, but other stuff will affect you as well. For example Government is spending more money on affordable housing, $20 million more than they spent last year. So if your family doesn?t own a home yet this is good news for you. They are also spending more on training schools so if you want to be a ferry boat captain or electrician when you are older there is a school here on the Island you can go to.

This year Ms Cox said her party, the Progressive Labour Party ,that currently runs the Island, wants to make sure Bermuda benefits kids.

At the end of her speech she singled out students and said: ?Our young people come to us wanting to change the world. It is our job and responsibility to provide them with the necessary tools so they can make a difference...We are in the business of turning hopes and dreams into reality.?