The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is seeking a $4.12 billion budget allocation for fiscal 2027.Finance Secretary Petal-Ann Roberts yesterday presented the THA’s estimates for fiscal October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 in the Assembly Chamber in Scarborough.The budget yesterday was presented under the theme, “Results Based Governance, A Pathway to Prosperity”.
FISCAL PLANS: Secretary of Finance Petal-Ann Roberts delivers the budget estimates for fiscal October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 yesterday.
“For fiscal 2027, the total estimates of expenditure amount to $4.12 billion, of which the estimates of recurrent expenditure amount to $3.03 billion and Development Programme Expenditure estimates total $1.09 billion. CEPEP estimates amount to $43.35 million. The total expenditure estimates are based on a projected national budget of $62.16 billion, which is the same as the current fiscal year 2026, and a requested share of 6.6%,” she stated. “In nominal dollars and cents, our request amounts to only $6.60 of every $100 of projected national budgetary expenditures.”She said the Recurrent Estimates for fiscal 2026 totalling $3.03 billion were disaggregated as follows:—Personnel Expenditure $805.52 million—Goods and Services $935.57 million—Minor Equipment Purchases $67.95 million—Current transfers and subsidies $1.22 billion.The Finance Secretary announced the continuation of the CEPEP and URP programmes.“We have also made provisions for the continuation of the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) under a new item in the Division of Public Infrastructure and Transportation called ‘Programme for Infrastructure Upgrade in Urban and Rural Communities (IUURC)’. We have budgeted $91.9 million for this new programme in fiscal 2027. The CEPEP programme with a budget of $43.35 million has been realigned to the Division of Food Security, to provide the labour inputs necessary to transform the sector,” she said.As for the Divisions of the THA, the Division of Health has the largest request at $1.03 billion.The other divisions are:—Assembly Legislature $35.73 million—Division of Community Development and Social Protection $103.46 million—Division of Education, Skills and Innovation $519.60 million—Division of Environment, Climate Resilience and Energy $60.34 million -Division of Finance, Trade and the Economy $190.56 million—Division of Food Security $167.13 million—Division of Health and Wellness $1.03 billion—Division of Housing, Settlements and Public Utilities $41.75 million—Division of Legal Affairs $33.18 million—Office of the Chief Secretary $181.94 million—Division of Public Infrastructure and Transportation $343.99 million -Division of Strategic Planning and Development $42.46 million—Division of Tourism, Antiquities and Creative Industries $193.28 million—Division of Youth Empowerment and Sport $81.11 million for a total $3.03 billion.The development programme estimates a total of $1.09 billion.The Finance Secretary said the total tax revenue of $220.5 million through revenue collection infrastructure and tax administration processes and procedures did not accurately reflect the revenues generated in Tobago.She said the THA was still treating with the reality where significant revenue streams generated in Tobago were collected in Trinidad which she stated was in violation of Section 49 of the THA Act 40 of 1996.Roberts said it was clear that the solution to this long-standing issue was enhanced legislation and enforcement through the completion of the Tobago internal self-government project.
