Political Leader of the Unity of The People Nickocy Phillips is accusing the Peoples National Movement (PNM) of failing to meet the needs of the people of Tobago, while providing finance for the campaigning in the run up to the THA elections.
Phillips, who held a press conference at the Buccoo Integrated Facility yesterday, called on the Secretary of Health Wellness and Family Development Tracy Davidson Celestine to provide answers to a number of concerns she has raise.
As “political leader to political leader” Phillips called on Davidson, who is head of the Tobago Council of the PNM, to respond to allegations of private catering being done at the Scarborough Hospital kitchen.
“I have received reports of an alleged private catering business inside the Scarborough hospital kitchen I think somebody is using the kitchen resources and our taxpayers’ resources to do their own catering there.”
She questioned why the THA would rush to open a new hospital at Roxborough when all is not well at the Scarborough Regional Hospital.
“The units at the hospital not working those are concerns we need to address because you cannot rush to open a new facility and the old one or the one before we still have the machines like the CT Scans etc and the one before that are not working.”
The UTP leader who is the only candidate from her party running for a seat in the upcoming THA elections will contest the Buccoo/Mt Pleasant district. She also called on the Minister of Finance to replenish the grants and assistant funds in Tobago, which she claims are currently without funds.
“Im also calling on the Minister of Finance, to this date in 2021 persons have not received their loss of income grants they have not received their other grants facilitated by the ministry and the Government.”
She said people have called the office after having their applications approved and not received any funds. She said staff at the office, told applicants that the Minister of Finance has not released any money as yet.
Phillips, who said she is familiar with the experience, said she too applied for the grant, however she is more concerned about citizens in urgent need. The UTP leader questioned why persons in need are being asked to wait yet the government is making funds available for other activities.
“All they are telling us that its approved but there is no financing they are waiting for financing from Trinidad, but how come you can find money for politics for election time how come you could release funds for those things for politics we need to wake up in Tobago,” she said
Phillips said the UTP will launch their manifesto on January 15. Guardian Media reached to Secretary for Health Wellness and Family Development for a response to questions raised by Phillips – up to news time no response was received.