Chief Sec: A step in the right direction

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said he was happy that Tobago got a meaty $3.72b allocation in the 2025-2026 national budget, describing it as a "step in the right direction."

Speaking after the budget was presented in the House of Representatives on Monday, Augustine what the allocation means is that $100 spent on development in the country, $5 is spent in Tobago.

Prior to this budget, the highest this figure had even been was $4.37, "so you can see that what we have been asking for has actually not been a lot in the context of what the national spend on development has been,” he said.

Augustine added that in the THA presentation in June, the request was for 5.9 per cent of the national budget.

“So we are just shy of 0.9 per cent of what we requested. We understand the economic condition the country is in and one of the things I must champion at the lectern is that we have experienced, over the last couple months, an improved communications with central government and that must be commended."

He continued, "The fact that we have a government that is willing to communicate, even when we disagree, they’re willing to hear our voices and to have it impact on a national and government policy, really it is a step in the right direction.”

He added: “It is one thing to say that you love me, it is another thing to show me that you love me. And…we think that it is a step in the right direction, of course there is always room for improvement, but this is definitely a step in the right direction and a good start. One that we don’t intend to retreat from as we ensure that we live out the true meaning of side by side.”

THA Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy Petal Ann Roberts described the presentation as “exciting.”

“We are quite pleased with what we have been allocated, and we look forward to progressing and building Tobago towards being the greatest little island on the planet.”

In June, Roberts requested from central government an allocation of $3.71 billion to manage the island’s affairs in fiscal 2025-2026.

“Now we can actually go back and develop Tobago at a different type of momentum versus the last 20-odd years.”