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THE Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has received a boost of $119,117,400 in supplementary allocations – among the largest increases granted – during the June 16 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) sitting in Parliament, as government moved to address what it said were urgent operational shortfalls across sectors, ahead of the mid-year budget review.
The increase, part of a wider $3.14 billion supplementation package approved for 28 heads of expenditure, includes provisions for fuel, new police vehicles, recruitment and equipment – among them a $25 million allocation to complete the rollout of nearly 4,000 Huawei body cameras to frontline police officers by year-end.
National Security Minister Roger Alexander, who will soon assume leadership of the restructured Ministry of Homeland Security, delivered an introduction for the expenditure.
The former police senior superintendent appeared nervous, occasionally stumbling over his delivery.
However, he pledged that the full order of body-worn cameras would be in use before the year’s end. Some 970 are currently in use, he revealed, with the balance to be delivered and operational within the promised period.
The rollout forms part of a standing contractual arrangement with supplier Huawei, though Alexander said under questioning, that the total value of the contract was not immediately at hand.
Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge, seated to Alexander’s right, appeared to offer Alexander advice on his responses, as did Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, who engaged in a short but mildly-heated exchange with Diego Martin North East MP and former finance minister Colm Imbert.
Tancoo accused Imbert of putting words in his mouth. Imbert replied, saying it “would help if the original minister (Alexander) would answer and not somebody else (Sturge).”
FUEL BILL GROWING
Another notable line item was the $20 million increase for fuel and lubricants needed to support the recently expanded TTPS vehicle fleet, including 67 new SUVs handed over earlier this month.
Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin had only weeks ago assured the public that this new fleet would be properly maintained, a commitment reflected in Monday’s supplementary request. Both Benjamin and DCP (Administration) Natasha George sat behind Alexander and were on hand to provide him with answers on TTPS matters.
Imbert, pressing Alexander for specifics, queried how many vehicles the additional fuel allocation would cover.
Alexander responded that the fuel was for 1,626 vehicles in active service, with Tancoo explaining that the increase was necessary because the original provision had been under-budgeted by $10 million – the same figure as the original budgeted sum.
[caption id="attachment_1161125" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MY QUESTION IS: Diego Martin Central MP Symon de Nobriga asks a question during the Standing Finance Committee meeting in Parliament on June 16. At left is Port of Spain North/St Ann's West MP and former prime minister Stuart Young. - Photo courtesy Office of the Parliament[/caption]
Imbert probed which companies were providing maintenance, food services, janitorial services and vehicle rentals for the TTPS. Alexander maintained that no new contracts had been awarded since the change in administration and promised to supply a full breakdown of contractors and amounts in writing.
Benjamin will be replaced by CoP-elect Allister Guevarro (formerly a senior superintendent at Police Special Branch) on June 17. The official handover parade is scheduled for 4 pm at the Police Academy in St James, marking Guevarro’s formal assumption of command of the TTPS after the House of Representatives unanimously passed a motion to approve the nomination on June 13.
SIGNIFICANT ALLOCATIONS
While the police service’s supplementary allocation commanded much of the public attention, the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) also approved substantial increases to other state agencies and ministries:
They include the Ministry of Health ($728,539,920), Ministry of Education ($455,106,000), Ministry of Public Utilities ($489,470,000), Office of the Prime Minister ($128,403,880), Ministry of Public Administration ($325,811,000) and Ministry of Works and Transport ($325,208,000).
In total, the SFC approved $3,143,983,761 in supplementary funding across government.
The Ministry of National Security itself received $13.9 million, outside of the TTPS allocation, mainly to settle outstanding obligations including $3.7 million for food specifically for detainees held under the recent State of Emergency, according to Alexander.
The session was frequently punctuated by procedural disagreements, particularly over the lack of immediately available figures. Imbert accused government of coming to Parliament ill-prepared, remarking that basic contract sums and supplier lists should have accompanied requests of such magnitude.
A pointed exchange arose over the $25 million body cam provision, when Alexander confessed to not having the total contract cost immediately available. MP for Arouca/Lopinot and immediate former national security minister Marvin Gonzales asked, “How does (the minister) not know what is the outstanding contractual amount on this item?”
To which Alexander replied, “Member for Arouca/Lopinot, I never said that I did not know. But I want to give you correct figures as it relates to any information.”
Additional queries came from MPs Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Kareem Marcelle and Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles, covering matters from contract staffing to court-ordered payments and academy expenses.
Alexander confirmed during his remarks that the Ministry of National Security would soon be officially rebranded as the Ministry of Homeland Security and Defence, tasked with safeguarding the nation from internal and external threats.
He assured the chamber that despite the supplementary requests, no new projects had been introduced.
“The purpose of this appearance is to present, provide context for the supplementary allocation of $13.9 million to the ministry. This sum reflects existing obligations arising out of the shortfall in the fiscal year 2025 budget.”
Heads of expenditure and approved supplementary allocations
President – $1,000,000
Auditor General – $4,982,000
Judiciary – $50,000,000
Industrial Court – $771,000
Parliament – $27,988,000
Service Commissions – $1,500,000
Statutory Authorities Service Commission – $1,325,500
Tax Appeal Board – $270,000
Registration, Recognition and Certification Board – $637,300
Public Service Appeal Board – $1,346,000
Office of the Prime Minister – $128,403,880
Tobago House of Assembly – $32,740,140
Ministry of National Security – $13,900,000
Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs – $89,492,221
Ministry of Education – $455,106,000
Ministry of Health – $728,539,920
Ministry of Labour – $55,668,400
Ministry of Public Administration and AI – $325,811,000
Integrity Commission – $1,625,000
Ministry of Public Utilities – $489,470,000
Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries – $1,300,000
Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government – $122,114,000
Ministry of Works and Transport – $325,208,000
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development – $25,000,000
Trinidad and Tobago Police Service – $119,117,400
Equal Opportunity Tribunal – $358,000
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries – $9,610,000
Ministry of Digital Transformation – $130,700,000
Total: $3,143,983,761
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