Tobago presents $3.5B budget

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is asking the central Government in Port of Spain for $3.5 billion for the 2011 fiscal year. That's about a quarter of the national budget.

Finance Secretary Dr Anslem London presented the budget Monday on the theme: "Newly Emergent Challenges and Economic and Social Development of Tobago."

London said the primary focus is to complete ongoing projects, increase employment and income for Tobagonians and to continue to diversify Tobago's economy.

He explained how the administration will distribute the recurrent estimates of $1.9 billion:

• Personnel Expenditures $631.2 million
• Goods and Services $271.1 million
• Minor Equipment Purchases $33.1 million
• Transfers and Subsidies $287.5 million

The development estimates of $1.6 billion will be used for:

• Productive sectors $2.7 million
• Economic Infrastructure $599.3 million
• Social Infrastructure $692.7 million
• Multi-sectoral and other services $279.5 million

During his budget presentation London expressed discontent with what he said was an attempt by the new government to challenge the autonomy of the THA. He claimed that such moves are putting at risk Tobago’s "continued economic and social development, and its political devolution".

He said he does not see why Tobago could not get the full $3.5 billion it was seeking from Central Government.

"I am not going to accept any talk about the Treasury of Trinidad and Tobago being empty. That is patent nonsense. It is not true. The economic numbers do not suggest that and nobody is going to be allowed to use that as an excuse, to not fund the development in Tobago and indeed for Trinidad and Tobago," London stated.

THA Minority Leader, Ashworth Jack, gave the budget a thumbs down,calling it the worst he has seen in his 14 years in the THA.

Jack, whose Tobago organisation of the People (TOP) is a member of the governing People's Partnership, said London should have laid out a blueprint for Tobago’s development instead of repeating projects which should have been completed years ago.