Joel Jack on the Attack, Seeking Budget Back Pay from Central Government

Joel Jack, Secretary of Finance THA

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) may trigger provisions of the Dispute Resolution Commission (DRC) in the THA Act to seek arrears of funding of hundreds of millions of dollars in budgetary allocations dating back to 2010. The statement was made by THA Finance and Enterprise Development Secretary, Assemblyman Joel Jack, at yesterday’s post — executive council media briefing. 

Jack said: “We have that mechanism at our disposal and I believe that at the conclusion of our deliberation (with the Minister of Finance) that might be one of the options available to us. “In addition to getting this year’s arithmetic correct we also have the issue of previous year’s balances that are owed to the THA.”

Jack said beyond the legal measure in terms of financing Tobago’s developmental agenda a THA team, led by Chief Secretary Orville London, recommended to the minister, if he was unable to fund Tobago’s development needs, to  allow the THA under the law to float two Tobago Development Bonds, a billion dollars this year and a billion dollars in another year.

$ 60,000 Monthly for Dr. London.

Dr. London, Former Secretary of Finance THA

Dr. Anslem London has rescinded his decision to bow out of public life after indicating in the recently concluded election that he was not interested to continue public service at the end of his last four-year term. However,  an article in Tobago News indicated taht Dr. London has been re-hired as an Advisor to the newly appointed Secretary of Finance Assemblyman Joel Jack,one of his juniors in his last four year term. 

This move by the current administration is consistent with patterns set previously. Charman Neil Wilson, returned  as an Advisor to the then Secretary of Tourism Oswald Williams after he had bowed out at the end of two consecutive terms as councillor and Secretary of the said division.

Wilson’s remuneration package, which was quoted in US dollars amounted to over $70 000, according to figures released in response to a question from the Minority Opposition in the House at the time.

Orville London, Chief Secretary of THA indicated to the media house that any questions to the matter should be directed to Dr. London. However, Dr London refused to comment on the matter.

The media was able to ascertain a response from Secretary of Finance, Joel Jack. Mr. Jack stated that Dr. London’s appointment was approved by the Executive Council recently, and that he was rehired as the Senior Consultant at the Division for a period of two years with effect from February 1. He indicated that  Dr. London would benefit from a monthly retainer of $60,000, which is a flat rate with no allowances attached.  According to Jack, the figure of $60,000 was recommended by HRC Consultants, a management company which specializes in Human Resources. The final figure was negotiated by the Administrator in the Division of Finance. The company, he said, indicated that the salary commensurate with Dr. London’s qualifications would be in the vicinity of $90,000 monthly.

The Secretary noted that Dr London has four university degrees, including a PhD in Economics, with specialization in Monetary Economics and International Trade and Finance and a M.Sc. in Finance and Financial Law. Dr London also has extensive experience in various fields, including development policies, banking and finance, financial law, macroeconomics, monetary economics, international trade and finance and business development.

THA Says YES is not OJT

THA Secretary of Finance and Enterprise Development Dr Anselm London has said it was false for Minority Leader Ashworth Jack to say that the current YES (Youth Energised for Success) programme was an OJT (On the Job Training) programme.

.He said the statement by Jack was deliberately false and misleading and he ought not to do that, adding that at the formal launch of the programme three weeks ago it was made absolutely clear that it was not an OJT programme. "YES is not an OJT programme and the Minority Leader should know better and should not be engaged in this kind of political tomfoolery," he said.

Dr London further stated that Jack's claim that persons will be receiving $4,000 per month was far from the truth. "These are highly trained individuals in all kinds of fields, be they in finance, economics, business, engineering, sociology, mathematics, these are all graduates, people trained by the THA and for Mr Jack to take it upon himself to mislead the rest of the community about the wages paid and the type of programme, that is false," he added.

The Finance Secretary said the first 38 persons to be employed shortly will not receive $4,000 per month as claimed by the Minority Leader but some were going to receive $10,000 per month and upwards.

Dr London said Jack should know about the programme since it was discussed in the last THA budget presentation to the House of Assembly in June. It was also discussed at a seminar attended by youth and business organisations last September. 

reproduce from THA news

"Voodoo Economics"

Minority Leader Ashworth Jack

Divisive and racially coated were the words used to describe the 4.3 billion budget presentation for fiscal 2013 by Minority Leader Ashworth Jack. With no holding back on words, he lambasted the Tobago House of Assembly for their failed policies, which have affected the lives of Tobagonians. Accusing the administration of what he described as "Voodoo Economics".  He stated that the administration was concocting figures, data, and statements, out of dark corners and secret compartments.  Further, he criticize the efforts by the cassava initiative which stated that 11 acres were under cassava cultivation.  Contending that agriculture have been stifled, and that Tobago survives and depends on the importation of food coming from Trinidad. He further  accused the current administration of not having a development vision, calling on the Secretary of Finance to tell the Tobago populace and the rest of the world what is their Development Vision that has informed their budgets over the past 12 years. It is therefore not surprising he has defined the proposals of the budget as "Old talk, and no action". Promising that his TOP administration would change the fortunes of the island. 

Written by O.J.Noel

o6 July 2012

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4. 318 Billion Budget Presented by the THA

In what can be seen as the largest budget presentation by the Tobago House of Assembly- THA, Dr. London, Secretary of Finance and Enterprise Development  called for a whopping 4.318 Billion dollars to run the affairs of Tobago for fiscal 2013. Four hundred million more than the sum for fiscal 2012. This figure was revealed on Monday 25th June, under the theme 'Developing Tobagonians In a Developing Tobago, The Next Frontier'. Dr. London was extremely critical of the Central Government, and made many reference to what he describe as 'disrespect' to the people of Tobago. Further, for a third year in a row, he lambasted the Central Statistical Office (CSO) for its inability to provide him with Tobago specific GDP estimates and Inflationary figures, mere days after he displaced the CSO-Tobago staff. 

Identifying the need to fill the positions vacant in the public sector, he pledged that the THA would work with service commission to aggressively fill the all vacancies. Vaunting  about the completion of the Victor E. Bruce Financial Complex and the extended new date of completion for the Scarborough Library later this year, he indicated that the Shawpark Cultural Complex looms large in 2013, a building which would be the signature of Tobago alike the Eiffel Towers of France and the NAPA building in Trinidad. Further, he dwell on the issue of land distribution which is to become a reality later this year, and indicated that persons who would have joined the young initiative saving program lunched by the Assembly would be given preference. He took great objection to that of the two (2) mile radius proposed by the central government as economic maritime space, as it does not conform to the international standards, and labeled the under-funding of URP and CEPEP as Fiscal blackmail. He further noted that the stifling of funding to Tobago is a normal strategy used by the UNC to Tobago both in Hochoy's administration and now the PNM. Continuing he stressed that the Central Government's message remains clear, that where ever possible Punish Tobago. 

The Minority  leader Ashworth Jack will deliver his response to the budget on a special sitting of the  Chamber on Thursday.

Further information can be viewed at the link below:-

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-06-25/43b-tha-budget-targets-development

    

Written by O.J.Noel
26th/06/2012