In a statement today (Wednesday 8th August 2012) London said: “I am very disappointed that either because Minister Baker was being disingenuous or was not aware of the facts when he attempted to refute the statement of the Chief Secretary and the Secretary of Finance Dr Anselm London that the THA had not received the $100 million allocated by Parliament for the commissioning of the new Scarborough General Hospital.”
London said the fact was that $75 million of the $100 million allocated to the THA when the 2012 national budget was approved in September 2011 was not received until July 27 2012.
He added that despite numerous requests from Dr London the Ministry of Finance did not acknowledge the commitment until Minister Larry Howai took over the portfolio. However, he said, despite a request made by Dr London in late June no money was received by the THA until long after the statements were made by the Chief Secretary and the Secretary of Finance.
“In fact not only was the funding for the commissioning of the hospital received ten months after it was allocated, but funding for the Assembly’s expenditure in the fourth quarter which was due on July 1 2012 and was not received until July 27 2012, the longest ever delay in the receipt of funding during the 12 years of this administration,” London said.
London said since his entry into Parliament Minister Baker has been most vociferous in his condemnation of the THA and all things Tobago, a marked contrast to his eloquent silence on the myriad of activities inflected on the Assembly, Tobago institutions, Tobago professionals, URP workers, CEPEP workers and most recently workers in the reforestation programme. “Minister Baker must be reminded that he was elected by the people of Tobago to protect their interest and therefore his priority must be the welfare of Tobagonians and not his colleagues in the PP Government,” London said.