The Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) run Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will have $1.78 billion from January to September 2022 and no shortage of funds.
PNM Tobago Council vice-chairman Deon Isaac confirmed this on Monday.
He added: “So they have money.”
Complaints by THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine about the inability to find the money was among issues the PNM Tobago unit spoke about yesterday.
Isaac said there is money and what would have happened that the Finance Division didn’t do all of their bank reconciliation and as a result, the Division wasn’t able to transfer all of the funds to the Contingency Fund hence a low balance was reflected then.
He said, “But at the start of the first quarter in October, Government would have released $538million and there is still a balance of $1.78 billion for the second phase ahead– January to September 2022. So they have money to get, I don’t see what their hullabaloo is about.”
Former THA chief secretary Ancil Dennis also agreed saying that the THA had gotten its funding for the first quarter– $538million–- and its funds for the rest of the fiscal year are intact for release.
Isaac said the unit will do its post mortem by month-end on the recent December 6 THA elections which the PDP won 14 to PNM’s one seat.
That session will also look at planning for the election of officers whose two-year term ends in 2022.
Some posts on the executive are four-year posts– leadership, chairman, vice chairman, general secretary and others are two-year posts.
Former chairman Stanford Callendar resigned recently.
Three other executive members, who also resigned had two-year posts. It’s expected those vacancies will be filled when elections for the two-year post are held in 2022.
PNM members also paid tribute to Callendar who served more than 30 years.
Elections for leader and other four-year posts will be in 2024.
