UNC queries ‘missing’ $97m in salary relief grant

BARATARIA/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein queried $97 million in salary relief grant funding which he alleged cannot be accounted for, at a briefing at the Opposition Leader’s Port of Spain office on Friday.

He said Finance Minister Colm Imbert had promised $129.8 million in these grants, but budget documents known as estimates of revenue had instead listed this sum for fiscal 2020 as $226 million. “This shows a difference of $97 million, currently unaccounted for,” Hosein said.

He lamented that in Parliament he had not been allowed to further question Imbert. Hosein said Imbert needs to publicly state the number of grant applicants, those rejected, those paid and those still waiting. Hosein quipped that it was easier to get a US visa than to apply for the grant.

He said he and MP Dave Tancoo, who was at the meeting on Friday, had asked the public to let them know if they had applied for the grant. Hosein said 1,527 respondents said they had not received it, and he promised to send their names, addresses and constituencies to Imbert.

Tancoo said the estimates made no allocation for these grants in fiscal 2021, despite tens of thousands of people now unemployed during the ongoing covid19 pandemic. He recalled requesting Imbert for applicant details by constituency, but the minister had said that was hard to get.

Tancoo disputed this by saying the grant application form requires applicants state their address and that all details are then computerised. He reckoned the minister did not want to give the details. “Every UNC MP has had people walking into their office. They have applied and not received the courtesy of a reply.

“We want a geographical breakdown. We believe there is some sort of geographical discrimination.” Newsday was unable to contact Minister of Social Development Donna Cox for a response.