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  • 1 year ago
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine is calling on Finance Minister Colm Imbert to give Tobago five point eight percent of the national budget.

According to the Dispute Resolution Commission Tobago can receive from four point zero three percent to six point nine percent of the national budget.

More in this Elizabeth Williams report.
Transcript
00:00I came to the conclusion that this house needed to assemble before the national budget and
00:10to essentially call on the Minister of Finance to allocate to the THA no less than 5.8% of
00:19the national budget to meet Tobago's urgent developmental priorities and to address historical
00:28the funding of Tobago so that we are able to grow at a pace that is equitable and equal
00:36rather to our friends and family in Trinidad.
00:41The Chief Secretary Farley Agustin, speaking during the plenary sitting on Thursday to
00:46treat with Monday's national budget specific to Tobago, is calling on Finance Minister
00:52Col. Imbert to be reasonable and fair to Tobago.
00:56In effect, the motion calls on the Minister of Finance to allocate a reasonable, fair
01:03and just share of the national budget to the Tobago House of Assembly or rather the people
01:09of Tobago and the question for every member present is whether or not you will agree that
01:18what has been allocated over the years, those were unfair and unreasonable and whether the
01:28central government should be more reasonable in its allocation to Tobago.
01:34Mr Agustin explained further.
01:37Anyone who does not support this motion is in essence saying to the people of Tobago
01:43that what we have gotten historically is good enough, is fair enough, is reasonable
01:49enough and no more should be given.
01:54Madam Presiding Officer, the struggle by the Tobago House of Assembly for a reasonable,
02:00fair and just share of the national budget is not a new struggle.
02:06Mr Agustin has this message for the Finance Minister.
02:11We currently do not need any new bill anywhere in the Parliament to get 6.9% or to get the
02:21median of 5.5%.
02:24The Minister of Finance can give it on Monday morning when he reads the budget.
02:29TV6 News contacted Finance Minister Col. Imbert on the request made by the Chief Secretary.
02:36Minister Imbert said,
02:38We have given the Farley THA more than the London THA ever got.
02:43We are very fair and equitable.
02:46And he knows that.
02:48The THA under his administration and over London's administration have also collectively
02:54and individually received far more, both in percentage terms and in actual amounts, under
03:02this administration than they received under the former UNC administration.
03:07He knows that too.
03:10Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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