Minority: Poor THA management clouding future

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris is calling for more accountability in the management of the island’s annual budgetary allocation.

During the 2024/2025 budget presentation on September 30, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said Tobago was allocated $2.599 billion – 4.35 per cent of national budget.

Morris said central government should be commended for steering the ship through turbulent waters, ensuring that despite global challenges, the economy remains stable and Tobago remains a priority.

He said on October 1, “Tobago has received a substantial allocation of $2.599 billion, an increase of $22.576 million, representing 4.53 per cent of the national budget. An additional $678.5 million will be invested through various ministries and state agencies for Tobago’s development. This level of investment shows a clear commitment to Tobago’s growth and prosperity.”

He added: “The chief secretary, by now, if he was being honest with the people of Tobago, would have known that he would not have get that 5.8 per cent, but he wants to carry us down a fight because it suits their politics. But if he was planning properly and prudently, he would have had a contingency plan that tells us we would get about $2.5 or $2.6 billion.”

Projects like the ANR Robinson International Airport, set for completion in 2025, he said, prove that Tobago is not being left behind.

He said the Minister of Finance has outlined key projects to enhance Tobago’s tourism sector, such as divestment of the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort as well as the development of an internationally-branded resort at Buccoo and the establishment of a marina in Lowlands.

He said the Farley Augustine-led THA claims it is being deliberately underfunded, but this THA administration has received more funding than any in history, yet the results don’t reflect it.

“What this demonstrates is that it’s not about how much Tobago gets, it’s about how well it’s spent.

"Poor management is robbing Tobagonians of the future we deserve. Over $20 million spent on overseas trips yielding minimal benefits. The Shirvan to Store Bay Connector Road project has escalated from $65 million to over $100 million amid allegations of corruption. Over $300 million has been directed to financiers outside of Tobago, failing to stimulate the local economy.

"We are witnessing a misuse of funds that could otherwise enhance the lives of Tobagonians.”

The Tobago autonomy bills, he said, provide a more secure pathway to an increase in budgetary allocation.

“Yet Farley has refused to support these bills, denying Tobagonians an additional $4 billion over the past three years. It also means that at 6.8 per cent, the THA would have received an additional $1.5 billion.”