THE Tobago House of Assembly (THA) wants $4.71 billion from central government.
The request was made during the Budget presentation on Monday by Secretary of Finance and the Economy Joel Jack.
The biggest chuck will go to the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development.
In his 2020/2021 budget presentation, Jack said there was the need to rebuild the Tobago economy after Covid-19.
The THA is requesting the division, headed by Tracy Davidson-Celestine, receive $801.7 million to help in the fight against Covid-19.
Jack said, “Covid-19 has upended all previous forecast for the global economy leading to a virtual shutdown of the economy.”
Last year, the THA requested $4.72 billion but received $2.283 billion in the 2020 national budget.
Budget requests 2020/2021:
Assembly Legislature – $24.8 million
Office of the Chief Secretary – $167.4 million
Finance and the Economy – $291.7 million
Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries – $276.5 million
Tourism, Culture and Transportation – $234.7 million
Education, Innovation and Energy – $525.6 million
Community Development, Enterprise Development and Labour – $118.4 million
Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment – $475 million
Health, Wellness and Family Development – $801.7 million
Settlements, Urban Renewal and Public Utilities – $41.2 million
Sport and Youth Affairs – $104. 9 million
Unemployment Relief Programme – $71 million
CEPEP – $43 million
Expenditure Estimates:
Recurrent expenditure – $3.07 billion
Personal expenditure – $840.9 million
Goods and services – $1 billion
Development programme expenditure – $1.5 billion
Minor equipment purchases – $90.7 million
Transfers and subsidies – $1.1 billion
