Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says Tobagonians can expect greater delivery from his administration because of a respectful relationship deepening between the central government and the Tobago House of Assembly.
The Chief Secretary was responding to the supplemental allocation granted to the THA during the mid-year budget review. He pledged that the first major evidence of this would be in the delivery of the long awaited Scarborough Secondary School.
The THA is pleased that their supplemental allocation from the mid-year budget review was in line with what was requested. $79 million dollars was allocated for salary adjustments and arrears to teachers, plus an additional $15 million dollars to begin construction of the new Scarborough Secondary School.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the allocation met expectations because there is a great level of respect now between the central government and THA.
“The people of Tobago can expect even greater delivery and should expect even greater delivery from us because we are seeing greater input into our budgetary provision from the central government.”
Mr Augustine is pleased that the central government agreed with the prioritization of the Scarborough Secondary School. The current campus in Shaw Park is quickly becoming a victim of coastal erosion and is in urgent need of relocation. The new school will be constructed in Bacolet.
“We have sufficient, we will be able to make an award for that contract to do all of the geo-technical surveys, the clearing of the site, do all the topographical surveys and also perfect the design, have the design approved.”
This is the first time the THA will be responsible for constructing a secondary school and the Chief Secretary noted that stakeholders are excited to begin construction.
“We had a focus group about two weeks ago with stakeholders from the school, looking at the conceptual drawings for the school, that is being refined.”
Mr Augustine announced that tenders for a design-build contract for the new school would be issued to the public within a few days.