There has been a $30 million cut in the allocation of funds to the 14 regional corporations under the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government for the fiscal year 2017.
The total allocation to the 14 corporations according to the Draft Estimates—Details of Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure 2017 was $1,689,378,700.
In addition, $37.7 million was allocated to Regional Corporation Services - General and $1.183 million to the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Local Government Authorities.
However, there was a notable increase in the 2016 Revised Estimates for Regional Corporation Services - General, which was then listed as $7.5 million. Under the 2017 estimates, the allocation increased by $30.255 million.
There was also a $418,600 increase to the T&T Association of Local Government Authorities for fiscal 2017.
The San Fernando City Corporation and the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation have seen drastic budget cuts for the next fiscal year with their decreases totalling just over $11 million.
Although the San Fernando City Corporation received the fourth highest allocation of $143,337,100, it got the biggest cutback of $6,224,600.
The Port-of-Spain City Corporation received the highest allocation of $251,753,700, while the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation received the lowest of $74,071,000.
The Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation was also hit with a decrease of $5.3 million. Its 2017 estimates were listed as $124,050,000.
Continuing in decreases were the Siparia Regional Corporation, whose budget was slashed by $3.057 million; the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation was cut by $3 million; and the Princes Town Regional Corporation’s budget by $2 million.
There are 14 corporations which fall under the ministry headed by Minister Franklin Khan.
Eight of the corporations are controlled by the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) while the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) controls five. In the last Local Government election, the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, which makes up the 14th corporation, was split among the UNC with three seats, the PNM with three seats and the Independent Liberal party with two. That corporation received $86.4 million with a cutback of $1.3 million.
The Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation received the second highest amount—$193,200,000—with budget cuts of $1,682,500.
2017 Estimates for Corporations
n Port-of-Spain - $251,753,700
n San Fernando - $143,337,100
n Arima - $85,041,000
n Point Fortin - $74,394,700
n Chaguanas - $86,460,500
n Diego Martin - $109,300,000
n San Juan/Laventille - $183,678,000
n Tunapuna/Piarco - $193,200,000
n Sangre Grande - $90,029,000
n Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo - $124,050,000
n Mayaro/Rio Claro - $93,283,000
n Siparia - $83,133,800
n Princes Town - $91,646,900