TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine requested $3.956 billion from the Government, in presenting his THA budget for October 2024-September 2025 on June 24.
He justified this request by saying it amounted to a deserved 5.8 per cent of the country's $65.8 billion national budget.
He said the 5.8 per cent was within the range of 4.03-6.9 per cent of the national budget that was due to Tobago under the Dispute Resolution Committee, and noted Tobago's share of the national population has grown from the figure of 4.03 per cent in 1962.
Augustine said anything less than 5.8 per cent would continue an inequality existing since 1962.
"All we are asking is $5.80 of every $100. This is a fair and reasonable ask."
Augustine said the $3.956 billion would consist of $2.819 billion in recurrent and $1.002 billion on development expenditure. Some $91 million would go for URP and $43 million for CEPEP.
When disaggregated by the type of spending, his $2.819 billion request for recurrent expenditure would consist of: personnel $829 million; goods and services $855 million; minor equipment $29 million; and current transfers and subsidies $1.1 billion.
Augustine's proposed recurrent allocations were:
THA Legislature $27 million
Chief Secretary's Office $193 million
Finance $199 million
Tourism $197 million
Education $556 million
Community Development $117 million
Infrastructure $389 million
Food Security $197 million
Health $879 million
Settlements $52 million.
He said some major proposed recipients were: Tobago Regional Health Authority $613 million
Tobago Festivals Commission $50 million
Tobago Tourism Agency $50 million
School Feeding $42 million
Farmland Development $26 million
Loan Guarantee $25 million
Tobago Agri Business $11 million
Reforestation and Watershed Programme $10 million
Tobago Performing Arts Company $8 million.
His also gave a breakdown for his proposed $1.0032 billion for development programme.
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