2 weeks ago
10
Petal Ann Roberts - DIVISIONS across the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) are being urged to constrain their expenditures for fiscal 2026.
This was the revelation made by THA Secretary of Finance, Trade, and Economy Petal Ann Roberts as she addressed members of the media following a post-budget retreat at the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel on October 29.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine chaired the two-day retreat, sharing that the retreat focused on the fiscal 2026 budget allocations and the assembly's five per cent share of the national budget. The retreat, he said, involved public servants, led by the Chief Administrator, and discussed last year's achievements and challenges, as well as future policies and actions.
Roberts said the retreat was very engaging and inclusive as there were discussions and inputs from all secretaries, assistant secretaries and administrators on their achievements, their strategies and cost-saving measures. There was also discussion on how the projects and programmes would be executed within respective divisions based on the allocations received.
“We have received $2.96 billion in total. We are also going to receive Cepep and URP allocations. URP we will receive, and we’ve already started to receive our allocations from the central government of $18 million and, for Cepep, $9.2 million for fiscal 2026.
"We, as usual, will supplement the difference. The Cepep and URP programmes continue as very important programmes for us and for the people of Tobago. As a matter of fact, we want to look at them being more efficient and productive.
"So Cepep will be aligned to agriculture, URP would be aligned to more sustainable goals. These programmes are very pivotal for our development and, therefore, we continue to make the investment in Cepep and URP.”
The strategy discussed, she said, is to constrain the expenditure to fiscal 2025 levels.
“That means whatever divisions spent in fiscal 2025, we expect them to spend on those same levels, and we have identified for each division what the cap is. In some cases, some divisions said: 'Listen, because of my work programme, I may not be able to constrain,' and we are willing to pivot and willing to make those changes, but in other areas, we would just make the adjustments.”
Roberts said that would cause a shift from recurrent to development as they intend to shift approximately $300 million from recurrent to development, which would then bring the development revised allocation to $501 million.
“We also intend to, in order to advance our development, look at six priority areas, and these priority areas were articulated in the 2026 budget statement that was presented in June of this year.
"These areas are tourism, agriculture, digital transformation, human capital development, investment in micro, small and medium enterprises and infrastructure. So, most of our projects that were discussed are going to surround these areas.”
Other critical areas, she said are health, education and community development.
Roberts said there would be a sitting of the house where she would present a revised budget detailing the projects along with its impact and the cost.
This was echoed by Augustine.
"I wish to notify you that subsequently, at a date and place to be determined, we will provide to you a full re-prioritisation owing to the fiscal fortunes of the Tobago House of Assembly. We will get all of the fine details within a two week period from today (October 29)."
English (US) ·