Imbert: National Security to get $134m more than last year

There has been a slight increase in the allocation for national security compared to the last fiscal year.

During his 2023 budget presentation in Parliament on Monday afternoon, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert announced national security agencies will receive $5.798 billion for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

This is $134 million more than last year, when $5.664 billion was allocated.

For this fiscal year, national security received the third largest allocation behind education and skills training, which received $7.453 billion, and the health sector, which received $6.892 billion.

Allocations to national security were progressively smaller from 2015-2020.

Last year national security received an increase of $437 million, when $5.664 billion was allocated.

During his presentation, Imbert outlined several areas of priority in upgrading facilities and introducing information, technology and communications (ICT) resources to different arms of the protective services.

In particular, he highlighted more digital resources for military bases across Trinidad and Tobago and improved fingerprint systems for the Immigration Division to detect undocumented migrants.

He also said the police would receive biometric systems to improve officers' capacities in the field.

"Identifications will be quickly processed and be made available in real-time to officers while mobile. Certificates of character will also be speedily and accurately processed.

"The body and vehicle camera project is ongoing,

"Further, a land use development plan has been completed for the expansion of the police academy, which would allow for a larger intake of recruits, new dormitories, accommodations for trainers, as well as additional facilities for the delivery of an adaptive and modern policing curriculum.

"In 2023 the TT Police Service intends to maximise the use of existing resources, The construction of a facility at the Ste Madeleine police station site will house elements of the homicide division and the Fraud Squad."

National security allocations:

2022-2023    $5.798 billion

2021-2022    $5.664b

2020-2021    $5.227b

2019-2020    $6.44b

2018-2019    $6.120b

2017-2018    $6.4b

2016-2017    $7.625b

2015-2016    $10.8b