Caption: Members of the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago May 3, 2025
By Faith Edwards
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is promising that when the new school year opens in September, Form One pupils will be equipped with a new laptop.
She said on Thursday, “As you know, close to my heart, when school opens in September, we will have your laptops for the children entering secondary school.”
Speaking at a post Cabinet meeting held at the Red House in Port of Spain, Persad-Bissessar lamented the discontinuation of the laptop programme when her then People’s Partnership government exited office in 2015.
She said one of the most heartwarming experiences for her was to get positive feedback from those who received laptops during 2010 to 2015.
Persad-Bissessar said, “One guy told me, ‘I still have it. I’m using it at university.’ That was one of the best programmes, could you imagine we had that during the Covid? We will bring those laptops back.”
Speaking to Minister of Education Dr Michael Dowlath, she said, “Minister of Education, Dr Dowlath, you have your work cut out. I want those laptops in time for the September school reopening!”
Upgrades coming to health sector
Persad-Bissessar also announced that Cabinet has taken a decision to amend the Children’s Life Fund Act.
This will include expanding the category of applicants and introducing a system in which the Minister of Health can review applications rejected by the board.
The Children’s Life Fund was another brainchild of the prime minister during her first tenure as prime minister for the period 2010 to 2015. The charitable organisation provides funding to children who need life saving medical treatment abroad established in November 2010 by Act of Parliament – Act No. 12 of 2010.
The Children’s Life Fund Authority (CLFA) is the body bestowed with the responsibility to operate, manage and administer the Children’s Life Fund.
And Persad-Bissessar also announced that spaces for catheterisation (CAT) labs will be identified within the hospital system.
