The Privy Council has dismissed an appeal by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), ruling that the THA does not have the legal authority to enter into Build-Own-Lease-Transfer (BOLT) arrangements for construction projects using funds from the Tobago House of Assembly Fund without the approval of the Minister of Finance and Cabinet.

The ruling was delivered on February 11, by Lords Lloyd-Jones, Burrows, Stephens, Reed, and Lady Simler.

The dispute stemmed from a BOLT arrangement the THA entered into with Milshirv Properties Ltd in 2011 for the development of an administrative complex for the Division of Agriculture, Marine Affairs, Marketing, and the Environment.