By Chantalé Fletcher
CENTRAL Government remains steadfast in its commitment work with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to revive Tobago’s economy and place it on a path of economic recovery and resilience.
This according to Minister of Finance Colm Imbert during his 2022 Budget presentation in Parliament on Monday.
He announced that a new programme, the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Support was created for the island, specifically designed to provide financial assistance to Hoteliers and Tourism business to get them back on their feet.
Imbert said, “Fifty million dollars was allocated to this new programme for 2022 which will be managed by the THA in collaboration with E-Teck, who will screen applications and assist the THA in designing and administering the programme.
“The programme will also provide access to much needed working capital for the hotel and tourism industry in Tobago which was particularly hard hit by the pandemic.”
He stated that the allocation to the THA for fiscal 2022 provided significant financial assistance through both the Enterprise Assistance Grant and loan programmes of the Assembly to business in Tobago that were adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, to resume operations and stimulate business type activities on the island.
Imbert explained, “The revitalisation and expansion of Tobago’s tourism industry remains a key priority of this administration as such the budgetary allocation to the assembly providers financial assistance to properties, to upgrade their establishments under an expanding tourism accommodation programme.”
In addition, the minister added the fiscal 2022 package also provided upgrades to many tourism sites with strategies to boost marketing of the island, attractions and new training initiatives to enhance customer service in Tobago.
He said it also placed special focus on boosting food security and expanding the agriculture sector.
The minister said, “A sum of $30 million was allocated for land development in Tobago, which was designed to allow the rehabilitation of under-utilised agricultural estates and to assist farmers in Tobago to upgrade existing farm land, infrastructure equipment and technology and bring new areas into production.”
Imbert stated that there was provision for the agriculture access road programme to provide farmers with access to farm lands to enhance agriculture production.
“It will also be aimed to increase value added production in the agriculture sector through support for the burgeoning agro-processing business enterprises in Tobago and support the use of modern technology and new agricultural practices.”
He said, “The allocation to the THA also provided to enhance the road and drainage infrastructure in Tobago and upgrades to the coastal infrastructure on the island to mitigate costal erosion, related to global warming and rising sea levels.”
