Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will need to freeze hirings in the future.
During today’s budget debate at the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough, Augustine said the island’s recurrent expenditure is too high.
On Monday, Finance Secretary announced a $4.12 billion budget request for fiscal 2027 with $3.03 billion in recurrent expenditure. Augustine said the latter figure constrains the assembly’s plans and does not allow for significant development.
He said, “There will come a point, Secretary of Finance, Trade and the Economy, where I will have to issue an edict freezing employment in the THA because we can’t just keep going.” He said from January 2022 to January 2026, the THA hired 3,146 new employees.
Augustine also informed “ten-on, ten-off” contract workers in the Division of Infrastructure there would be some changes as the THA seeks to fill permanent positions.
“Don’t be alarmed for those who are on short term and it is not in this count as yet — those who are on ten on, ten off. We extended your programme to the end of August because we did not want any disruptions before you prepare your children to return to school.”
He said the division is in consultation with the unions and will promote workers already in the establishment and then make the base positions available for entry.
“Once we close those gaps we would have to put a pause on hirings for a number of years in the THA, to allow us to catch a break.”
The THA accounts for over 60 per cent of the island’s workforce.
