The national budget is the newest casualty of political instability. Parliament did no business after remaining in session for 57 days starting 8 February, and because the situation is basically unchanged, it is uncertain if government will be able to get new spending approved any time soon. Government sources say if things work to plan, the budget session will begin in the middle of this month. But that is no guarantee that the budget will be approved before the new fiscal year that commences in mid-July. If it cannot be put through, the government will be forced to go back to borrowing money for regular expenses, and development programmes will remain on hold until the budget bill becomes law. This could take up the entire first quarter of the new fiscal year and bring all development programmes to a standstill.