San Fernando City Councillor Teresa Lynch has publicly questioned the Government’s proposed development funding for the southern city, raising concerns about its ability to deliver essential projects and services to residents.
Lynch, who represents Cocoyea/Tarouba, held up a placard outside the San Fernando City Corporation highlighting what she described as a significant disparity in development allocations between San Fernando and Penal/Debe.
The sign, bearing the words “San Do Matters”, showed an allocation of $3.8 million for San Fernando compared with $38.5 million for Penal/Debe.
In a statement following the presentation of the 2027 national budget, Lynch declared, “We are people too!”
She claimed that approximately $5 million remained outstanding from the previous year’s development allocation, while the latest budget provided just $3.8 million for San Fernando.
“How are we expected to deliver for our people without the necessary funding?” Lynch questioned.
The councillor urged residents to examine the figures and consider what the allocation could mean for development projects across the city.
Based on the amounts displayed on her placard, Penal/Debe’s allocation would be more than ten times that of San Fernando, a difference of approximately $34.7 million.
However, the figures cited by Lynch have not yet been independently reconciled with the detailed budget estimates, including whether both allocations cover the same categories of expenditure.
Her concerns come amid wider questions from Opposition representatives about the distribution of development funding to municipal corporations following the Government’s 2027 budget presentation.
Lynch also suggested that the Minister responsible was already aware of the financial difficulties facing San Fernando, stating, “The Minister knows ALL of this!”
The councillor did not provide further details in the statement about the outstanding $5 million, including which projects were affected or when the funding was expected to be released.
Her public demonstration has brought renewed attention to the financial resources available to the San Fernando City Corporation and the potential implications for municipal development.
The Government’s explanation for the specific allocations highlighted by Lynch was not included in her statement.
Lynch ended her appeal with the message “San Do Matters”, emphasising her position that residents of San Fernando deserve adequate funding for their communities.