PADARATH CALLS FOR EQUITY IN STATE FUNDING
Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath has slammed government for its inequity in funding for festivals and religious observances in their allocation for Trinidad when compared to the over 18 million allocated to festivals and celebrations in Tobago.
This comes on the heels of what Padarath described as poor funding for this year’s Divali celebrations. Padarath has called on government to be fair and equitable in the distribution of state funding for religious observances and celebrations.
The Princes Town MP questioned the government’s commitment to arts and culture in the country since the budget figures does not reflect any investment in these areas as an avenue for diversification.
Padarath further slammed government’s allocation for a VIP kitchenette for NAPA at a time when organizations who are involved in promoting arts and culture are receiving far less. The Princes Town MP further indicates that the government’s priorities in this and other sectors are wrong. He questioned what has become of the National Ramleela Centre, which he believes if the government invests, it can be an asset to domestic and external tourism opportunities.
MP Padarath called on government to provide greater support to religious observances and institutions at a time when there is massive moral decay in the society, which can bring about greater values and principles to a beleaguered society with crime and other social ills.