Imbert: $$ to care for Kangaloo, Weekes

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert is dismissing claims from the Opposition UNC that additional money allocated to the Office of the President (OFP) for medical expenses was related to a recent injury President Christine Kangaloo suffered.

He made his comments on Friday before the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives approved a supplementation of $10,797,000 to the funding allocated in the 2022/2023 budget for the OFP.

Imbert rejected a claim by Princes Town MP Barry Padarath that an allocation of $100,000 in the $10,797,000 figure for medical expenses had something to do with an injury that Kangaloo suffered while exercising on April 6.

All former presidents and prime ministers received medical care for life from the state.

Imbert said, "Therefore there is now another former president (Paula-Mae Weekes). Therefore it is now a requirement to take care of the new former president and the new president."

Kangaloo succeeded Weekes as president on March 20.

The only other surviving former president is Anthony Carmona.

Imbert said Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram seemed confused by a $500,000 allocation, which Ratiram said was solely for archiving specialists.

Imbert said that money was to improve information technology capabilities at the OFP, in addition to hiring archiving specialists.

He told Ratiram, "You are mixing apples with oranges."

Imbert said $350,000 was for electricity and $200,0000 for phone expenses as Kangaloo and her husband Kerwin Garcia are expected to live at President's House in St Ann's

He said Weekes did not live in President's House during her tenure.

He also said $2.2 million has been allocated for the OFP to enter into an facilities management agreement with the Urban Development Corporation for TT (Udecott), for continued maintenance of the St Ann's compound which includes President House and the OFP.

When heritage buildings in TT are upgraded or renovated, Imbert said, Udecott has an interim arrangement to do maintenance work at those properties for a limited period of time.

He also said that ten people will be hired to staff President's House, to cater to the needs of Kangaloo and her husband.

Imbert said that because Weekes did not live at President's House, there was a skeletal staff there to tend to her needs.