Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has assured that despite the country’s financial constraints, Tobago’s future had not been “stymied … it has been accelerated.”
Speaking at the launch of candidates for the Tobago House of Assembly election last night, Rowley listed the projects that showcased the growth, namely the Roxborough Fire Station, Roxborough Hospital, and funding of the ANR Robinson International Airport expansion projects.
Dr Rowley said the latter project would ensure the island is ready for the tourism industry’s resurgence after the pandemic.
Rowley also revealed that Government had to source an additional $16 billion from the 2020 budgetary allocation to assist the country through the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said Tobago got its fair share of the budgetary pie and attributed this to a “smooth cooperation and association” between the PNM- led Central Government and Executive Council in the THA.
“We had to go and find $16 billion additional to the budget of last year October to be able to fund our arrangement through a pandemic to be where we are today,” the PM said.
Speaking about the THA elections, he said people were asking for the other parties to get the opportunity to control Tobago.
“There are aspirants in Tobago saying ‘give them a chance’. This is not a bingo. It is not Play Whe. It is not the horse race track. This is the future of the children and all the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”
He endorsed the candidates selected by the PNM Council, who all filed nomination papers on Monday, as well as the move by longstanding PNM member Dr Denise Tsoifatt-Angus who is running as an independent candidate.
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