THA accuses Govt of denying it $625m to pay wages

The Tobago House of Assembly is being starved of some $625 million in funds for the current quarter, Secretary of Finance and Enterprise Development Dr Anselm London said.

“Just a few days before the THA elections and we have not received the monies due to the Tobago House of Assembly some two weeks now. I have reached a conclusion very quickly that is part of a larger effort to starve the THA of funds, and I say so without equivocation, and to place us into a position where we cannot pay our bills” he said.

London is calling on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Minister of Finance Larry Howai and Minister for Tobago’s Development Dr Delmon Baker to hasten the process since people employed with the THA and suppliers are being affected. “We do not have access to the financial market through borrowing and I think this is a callous kind of game being played with people’s lives, whether they are regular public servants, short-term or suppliers.

He added: “If the THA is starved of funds, it means Mr Sandy (Hylton Sandy, secretary of Infrastructure and Public Utilities), who has one of the biggest workforce in Tobago would be unable to pay his wages and you make the calculation from there. If people don’t get their wages, they would be vex with you and therefore punish Orville London and the rest of this PNM administration.”

Over the past two weeks, workers employed with the THA, including from the URP and Cepep, have complained about not receiving wages.