Foreign Minister: Caricom events cost $7.9 million

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said $7.9 million was spent on the hosting of the launch of Caricom's 50th anniversary celebrations and related events, as well as the 45th Caricom Heads of Government meeting. This formed part of the allocation of $13.1 million to the ministry in 2023 for the hosting of conferences, seminars and other functions.

He made the revelation during the standing finance committee meeting in Parliament on Tuesday, while responding to questions from Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein about why the allocation for the sub-head had been reduced to $1 million for 2024.

Browne outlined some of the events on which the $13.1 million had been spent.

“Total expenditure for the Caricom 50th anniversary celebrations launch and key commemorative events involving our heads of governments, and the 45th regular meeting of the Heads of Caricom hosted here, was $7.29 million.

“The visit by the Asantehene, a king from Ghana (Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the ruler of Ghana’s Asante people and monarch of the historical Asante Empire) cost a total of 830,000. We also hosted the first ever visit by a foreign minister of Japan, that cost 19,231.”

He said during previous discussions it was noted that the 40th anniversary celebration cost $9 million, while these two functions in 2023 together cost $7.29 million, with expenditure undertaken via the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs as well as a number of other entities in the TT government.

Browne said the ministry would have paid for accommodations for the delegates and visitors as was customary.

In response to questions about vacancies in the ministry, Browne said the ministry had recently advertised the position of Foreign Service Officer I.

“This position is very important, providing the backbone of the Foreign service. We are seeking to fill 23 positions at this time, those advertisements have gone out. We’re also seeking to fill two IRO positions at this time, and that recruitment process is already underway.

“The total establishment is 300 at this stage, there are 124 positions filled and there are 67 vacancies without bodies, and 109 vacancies in which we have personnel. We also utilise contract positions to ensure the mandate of the ministry is fulfilled. We have 70 contract positions, 36 of which are currently filled and 34 vacancies in contract positions at this time.”

Browne said the ministry plans to conduct audits of two of its 20 foreign missions in 2024. He said no audits had been carried out during the last fiscal year due to a lack of human resources and the loss of a senior member of staff.

The ministry was allocated $256,700,000 for the fiscal year 2023/2024.