Some budget notes from Finance Minister Larry Howai

HEALTH:

"In fiscal 2013 we shall embark on a number of projects. New hospitals in Point Fortin, Arima, Sangre Grande and Chaguanas, the National Public Health Laboratory and the Caribbean Public Health Agency at Caura, and the upgrade of the San Fernando General Hospital. The Ministry of Health will fund these projects through public-private-partnerships and joint ventures."

FOCUS ON oncology, cardiac surgery and organ transplant; funds to expand the existing health facilities into these areas.

"Negotiations are at an advanced stage for establishing financing agreements for a Hospital in Couva which will cater for children and adults and which would have a burns unit, a teaching hospital at Chancery Lane San Fernando, and a National Centre for Non-Communicable Disease in Penal."

EDUCATION - GATE:

"During the course of the coming year we shall implement a number of measures with the objective of eliminating waste and abuse, as follows: 

• The programme will refocus on the areas of priority study necessary to support our strategy for economic and industrial development
• Tuition fees for under graduate programmes at both private and public institutions will be funded at varying rates based on their socio-economic priority
• The GATE Clearance Policy will apply to all public and private tertiary education programmes
• More comprehensive methods on the determination of tuition fees at public and private tertiary education institutions will be instituted

NATIONAL SECURITY:

"We have conceptualised and commenced implementation of a new naval operations plan to combat the drug trade and we have developed a number of social interventions aimed at our most 20 vulnerable and underprivileged communities. 

"These initiatives range from employment, education, motivational programmes, counseling, activities of the popular Life-Support programme and the innovative Hoop-for-Life Basketball intervention."

CREATIVE ARTS:

"During the fiscal year 2013, I propose to implement for persons in the creative industries, in particular the film industry, a regime to allow them to import into Trinidad and Tobago equipment and film-specific goods duty free. 

"During the fiscal year 2013, I propose to implement for persons in the creative industries, the zero-rating of Value Added Tax on machinery and equipment The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment will collaborate with persons in the creative industry to determine the goods that should be zero-rated."