Farley disappointed

TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has expressed disappointment with Tobago’s $2.7 billion allocation for fiscal 2027, saying Tobago had hoped to maintain the 5% share of the national budget it received last year.

Augustine said the allocation represented a reduction from the $2.9 billion provided in the previous fiscal year, with Tobago’s share of the national budget falling to 4.35%.

During the reading of the national budget, Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo announced that a further $716.5 million would be spent by various ministries on services and projects for Tobago’s benefit. Tancoo said the additional allocation would take Tobago’s total allocation for the fiscal period to $3.473 billion, which he said equates to 5.48% of the national budget.