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PNM Tobago Council political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine said the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) and United National Congress (UNC) have cost Tobago $1 billion less for the next fiscal year. Davidson-Celestine said the island would have received an increased allocation in Monday’s budget if the Tobago "autonomy" bills were passed in the Parliament.
The Joint Select Committee’s (JSC's) report on the two pieces of legislation – the Tobago Self-Government Bill and Tobago Island Administration Bill – was debated in the House of Representatives on June 28 and 29.
The debate reached the committee stage but no vote was taken as there were no UNC MPs in the House after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar led a walkout of the chamber.
The Prime Minister subsequently moved a motion, which was passed, requesting that consideration of the bills resume after the July-August recess.
Had the JSC’s report been passed three months ago, Davidson-Celestine said Tobago would have been able to accelerate the island’s development.
“The PNM Tobago Council’s wish list for this budget is that the autonomy bill should have been passed to recognise the increase in budgetary allocation for the people of Tobago to achieve further autonomy,” she told Newsday on Tuesday.
“That bill would have seen an immediate minimum budgetary allocation for Tobago from the current minimum allocation of 4.03 per cent (as was stipulated by the Dispute Resolution Commission) to 6.8 per cent. That would equate to approximately $1 billion more for this fiscal period or about and increase of $4 billion spread over the next four years.”
She added, “This means that Tobago’s development could have been pushed further in a shorter period. This means that with more resources we can lift the standard of living for every Tobagonian. This means that delays need not happen for delivery of services.”
Davidson-Celestine said in light of the ongoing effects of the covid19 pandemic on the economy, the successful passage of the autonomy bills would have provided more avenues and funding to help business people and every individual, who needed it, to get back on their feet.
She claimed the PDP and the UNC have denied Tobago this opportunity.
“Outside of the monetary loss, the ability to borrow and seek out investment opportunities has also been stymied by the Opposition and the PDP."
Davidson-Celestine said what is even more ironic is that Speyside/Parlatuvier/L'Anse Fourmi representative Farley Augustine "has the gall to state that he is advocating for more money for the people of Tobago when he colluded with the Opposition to deny us of that opportunity.”
In an interview with Newsday on September 14, PDP political leader Watson Duke said the PNM would blame his party ahead of the national budget.
“They would only talk of a better Tobago for political gains, saying that we rejected the bill, while we should have gotten 6.8 per cent (as proposed in the bill), they have to now give us 4.3 per cent because the people of Tobago listened to the advice of certain political persons and rejected the bill," Duke said.
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