Shamfa: Central government does a lot for Tobago

MELISSA DOUGHTY

Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis told Tobagonians the central government did a lot for Tobago amidst the issue of the Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) complaint about its 2025 budgetary allocation of $2.599 billion.

During his September 30 budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the total allocation for the assembly represented an increase of $22.756 million.

Days before the presentation, THA chief secretary Farley Augustine asked for 5.8 per cent of the national budget.

Imbert said Tobago's allocation represented 4.35 per cent of the national budget.

After Imbert’s presentation, Augustine said he was not happy and some of his executive members described it as fiscal wickedness.

In her presentation during the budget debate in Parliament on October 7, Cudjoe-Lewis outlined many of the projects being done by the central government for Tobago. While she is also the Minister of Sport and Community Development, Cudjoe-Lewis told the House she had to address the business of Tobago first, as it was the people of Tobago who had her where she is today.

She commended Imbert for what was described as a “reasonable budget.”
She said it provided for people from all walks of life, from the bustling streets of Port of Spain to the clean, green serene villages of Tobago.

Cudjoe-Lewis said many of the people with whom she comes into contact in her weekly walkabouts and so on said while the budget was not something to jump or scream or write home about, they could work with it.

The government was doing the best with what it had, catering to the most urgent needs of the citizens while making sure there was an urgent safety net for the vulnerable and not sabotaging the quality of life for the children of tomorrow, she added.

Cudjoe-Lewis added that no ministry got what it wanted, using her own ministry as an example.
“At the end of the day, we have to take hard decisions and make difficult steps as it relates to building this nation, having the right resources and framework so we can truly support our people,” she said.

“Now, the THA asked for $3.956 billion and received an allocation of $2.599 billion.
“The THA – it is clear to all now that they are displeased and they did not get what they requested. They said it is a budget of wickedness and they did not get enough.”

She went on to say her ministry did not get even half of what it requested, and no minister got what they asked for.

The country was price-takers and not price-makers in a largely energy-based economy, and for the Government to give more, it had to make more, Cudjoe-Lewis said.

She said all had to be mindful of each other and that often, people would call radio stations and say they were concerned about development in Tobago, not Trinidad and Tobago.

“For as long as we are part of this nation, for as long as we all have to eat from this national pie, we all have to be mindful of each other,” she said.

She said many ministries had to reprioritise and manage prudently in the conduct of the state’s affairs.

“I am not sure the THA could say that that is exactly what they do after they receive the figures, because the House of Assembly used to state in the month of June what they hoped for.

“Then when they found out what the allocation is going to be, they go to like a retreat and then come back to the House and debate and let the people of Tobago know what their priorities are.
“That has not happened for the last two or three years,” she said.

Cudjoe-Lewis said monthly reports about the THA’s spend, to be tabled in the House, were not being done and the public did not know what was spent, what was not spent and what the money was spent on.

She said money not spent could be held back and put to unspent balances, but over the last couple of years, the public did not know what the unspent balances were.

She recalled that the THA was given $100 million in the mid-year review, but the government did not know if the money was used to pay the bills, etc. She also spoke about $50 million given for the clean-up of the February oil spill off Tobago and a Lambeau fisherwoman not receiving her compensation for the calamity.

She said the bulk of clean-up expenses were handled by the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, Heritage Petroleum and Ministry of Works and Transport.

“So for the THA to be giving the impression like it is this $50 million and nobody else ain’t helping them, that is wrong. That is untrue and that is fooling the people to the highest degree.”

She said she hoped the current administration would offer some support, before anyone else, to Lambeau fisherfolk.