Sampson: Demand for resources higher in Tobago than Trinidad

NEW Tobago West MP Joel Sampson says the demand for resources are higher in Tobago than Trinidad. However, he sees hope for the island amid a $621 million allocation to government ministries for spending in Tobago on top of the $134 million to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), which includes $32 million in supplementary expenditure and a $102 million Development Bank of Latin America loan for coastal projects.

He was speaking on June 23 in the Mid-Year Review in the fourth sitting of the House of Representatives, Parliament, Port of Spain.

He said the mandate by the Finance minister that all ministries spending money on Tobago projects must liaise directly with the THA is a “monumental” step towards autonomy.

“This means that the days when the Public Utilities Minister will execute projects and programmes without consulting the duly elected government of the island of Tobago for a sense of the island’s needs and priorities, are far behind us,” he said.

He expressed dissatisfaction with previous projects that were done by state entities such as WASA without consultation. He said the mandate would provide much-needed resolution.

“Grant programmes from varying ministries will now pass through the THA to the people of Tobago. The national security apparatus of Tobago will finally get some attention and the THA will no longer have to spend millions on renting vehicles, paying for accommodations, repairing prisons, fixing up the army camp at Signal Hill and equipping police stations among other things.

He said the mandate means the ministries will respect the authority of the THA.

He outlined areas where the central government is responding favourably to the people of Tobago through their MPs.

"Memorandums of Understanding are being drafted to authorise the assembly to act as agent of the government, statutory authority or state enterprise, as the case may be, in respect of any of its responsibilities in Tobago.

“Furthermore, the government, as presented by the finance minister, has decided that delivery in Tobago of services to the public in relation to the matters set out in the sixth and seventh schedule will absolutely give due consideration to the views of the assembly.

“The THA will finally get the non-objection letter for the Inter American development Bank (IDB) to provide grant funding and technical advising on the development bank in Tobago. The IDB projects for the urban development in Scarborough will finally be signed off on.”

He said arrangements are being put in place to expand the THA’s ability to borrow on its own creditworthiness.

He said these developments are crucial as Tobago’s unique needs have not been adequately considered in the formation of adequate policies especially considering the demographic projection of Tobago.

He claimed the demographic projection of Tobago has surpassed that of Trinidad since 1990.

He said the Tobago population in 1980 was 39,525, increasing to 46,654 in 1990 and 54,084 in 2000. By the 2011 census, the Tobago population was 60,874.

“The population of Tobago grew at an annual rate of 1.8 per cent per year in the first decade after the establishment of the THA followed by a growth rate of 1.6 per cent per year in the second decade and 1.1 per cent in the third decade.

“On the contrary, the Trinidad population grew at rates of 0.8 per cent, one per cent and 0.4 per cent. This meant that the Tobago population grew at an average of twice the rate of the Trinidad population over the last 35 years.

“The dynamics of Tobago’s population is lost and rendered invisible and the fact the Tobago population is growing at twice the rate of the Trinidad and national population means that the demand for goods and services in Tobago is higher per capita than in Trinidad.

“This may take a while to sink in, but think about it, the demand for food, clothing, housing, transportation, recreation, credit and capacity building are higher in Tobago even though it's population is statistically small.”

He said in light of this, Tobago needs a party in governance that recognises these facts.

“We in Tobago have a dream of becoming the greatest little island on the planet and in order to become the greatest little island on the planet, we require resources.”