Top things to know
- Procurement delays have slowed school repair work despite a TT$13.7 million allocation.
- Hundreds of public‑service vacancies remain unfilled as the 10‑on, 10‑off scheme conversion stalls.
- A seven‑member committee led by Dereck Boseland is tasked with speeding up hiring before the new fiscal year.
- Independence Day fireworks were nearly cancelled due to the same procurement bottlenecks.
- Schools are scheduled to reopen on 7 September, though many repairs are still pending.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said procurement bottlenecks are behind three pressing problems: stalled school repairs, vacant public‑service posts, and a near‑cancellation of Independence Day fireworks.
The government released TT$13.7 million for school maintenance, but work only began weeks before the new term. Augustine assured that all schools will open on 7 September as planned, though many repairs remain unfinished. Teachers and parents have voiced frustration as classrooms still lack repaired roofs and broken windows.
The 10‑on, 10‑off temporary employment scheme, due to end in August 2026, was meant to feed workers into permanent positions. Since 2022 the conversion has stalled, leaving dozens of posts empty. To accelerate hiring before the next fiscal year, a seven‑member committee chaired by retired technical officer Dereck Boseland has been appointed. The committee will review pending tenders, fast‑track approvals and report its recommendations to the House of Assembly by the end of October.
The same procurement lag threatened the funding for the Independence Day fireworks, which almost had to be called off. Augustine warned that unless the procurement process is streamlined, similar disruptions could affect other public services. The fireworks display, a staple of the August 1 celebrations, relies on a separate budget that also awaits procurement clearance.