The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has so far provided $1.8 million to the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) for street light maintenance and installation, with a further estimated $1million worth of work requested.

Chief Secretary Orville London made the disclosure during last week’s media briefing at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall.

London explained that although the Assembly pays the bill, those works are the responsibility of T&TEC.

“The initial process was one where we would identify where the work is to be done and this was costed by T&TEC, we would then pay the money and T&TEC would have the work done,” he said.

The Chief Secretary also said T&TEC has its own challenges in that it contracts out that work.

“In fact as I speak $1.8 million has been paid by the Assembly to T&TEC for work to be done on street lights throughout Tobago,” London said, adding that he was informed by the Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities that T&TEC has scheduled the works to start at the end of the September. The Commission is hopeful that it can have the work done as soon as possible.

The Assembly will spend a further $1million on Tobago’s street light upgrades, but London said although the work has been requested that this has not yet been formalised because the process why which estimates are prepared to facilitate payment has changed.

London recalled that T&TEC’s new Manager of Tobago Operations Zainool Mohammed has indicated that material is available for the Commission to step up its street light maintenance programme. He added: “I am hoping there is improvement in the installation of the new lights and maintenance of the lights.”

He said there should be some relief to the people of northeast Tobago because T&TEC is ready to do the installation of the lights from Runnemede to Bloody Bay or Parlatuvier in two phases.

London also stated that once the funds are made available, T&TEC has given the commitment that it would continue with that job.