(Trinidad Express) The 2012-2013 national budget is expected to include a TT$410 million package to be divided equally among the Parliament’s 41 MPs for work in their constituencies.
Sources have disclosed that each Member of Parliament is expected to receive a TT$10 million budget allocation in order to provide immediate infrastructure work and social development needs in their constituencies.
The TT$10 million will be distributed annually.
Infrastructure works are conducted by the regional corporations but in the past, MPs have complained that the bureaucracy holds back their ability to deliver fast relief to their residents.
A Cabinet source said Monday the motion was passed last week, which will give MPs the power to “identify development projects and have them funded. A fund that will impact on people at a community level: box drains, retaining walls, bridges, etc, under TT$200,000.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar first suggested the idea on June 1 during a Cabinet retreat at the Magdalena Grand resort in Tobago.
She said the government was currently reviewing the Jamaican legislation where the system is already in place.
She said, “What this means is every constituency would be allocated within budget a certain amount of funding that could be used for projects per constituency, no matter who is the MP, whether government or opposition.”
The proposal went before the Finance Committee on Monday.
If approved, the proposal will cost the country TT$1.23 billion over the next three years, at least until the next general elections.
One Cabinet minister said they hoped it came to pass, as it would “help all to provide faster relief to constituents”.
MPs will also be in charge of providing a detailed statement of accounts to the Auditor General to show how the money was spent at the end of the year.
