A $70 million loan from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean will fund critical repairs at seven schools across Trinidad and Tobago, Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath told the Standing Finance Committee on Tuesday evening. The schools have not yet been finalised. According to TTT’s report, Dowlath said priority would go to schools that have been decanted or are at risk because of structural deficiencies and deteriorating infrastructure. The minister also outlined funding for earlier repair commitments. A separate $15.9 million has been allocated in the current fiscal year to settle outstanding payments for school repair work undertaken in previous years. For Early Childhood Care and Education centres, Dowlath said invoices submitted for improvement, refurbishment and extension work during the last fiscal year resulted in spending of $1.071 million from a $4 million allocation. He also addressed the delayed work at Curepe Presbyterian Primary School, which had received a $2.5 million allocation in the previous fiscal period. Dowlath said the Presbyterian School Board had changed the required scope of work. The revised scope has now been finalised, according to the minister, who said the Curepe project would be completed during the current fiscal year. For the seven-school programme financed by the CAF loan, the outstanding decision is which schools will be selected. The minister’s stated criteria place schools already displaced from their premises, and those facing structural risks, at the front of that assessment.
