THA confident of allocations in upcoming Budget

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London on Friday expressed confidence that the upcoming national budget will be “truly reflective” of Tobago’s needs. He did so during a press briefing at Calder Hall, Scarborough, following earlier discussions on location with Junior Finance Minister Conrad Enhill.

“I am fairly optimistic that based on the discussions that we have had, and the kind of environment in which the discussions took place and have been taking place, I am optimistic that we would be able to have a national budget that is truly reflective of Tobago’s needs and Tobago’s wishes and Tobago’s requests,” London told reporters. “I did not say that we are going to get every single thing that we have asked for, but I am confident that at the end of the day, the THA and Tobagonians should be satisfied with what is in store for them in fiscal 2004.”

The THA Chief Secretary said that Friday’s talks with the Junior Finance Minister were merely the continuation of a process of discussion which was started prior to the presentation of the THA’s $1.65 billion budget package last month. “And that process is going to continue until such time as the national budget is presented,” he added. London stressed that in the current scheme of things, where the THA has to prepare its estimates of expenditure “without knowing what the numbers are for the Central Government,” there was need for goodwill, co-operation and constant dialogue “if the needs of the THA are to be adequately addressed.”