By COREY CONNELLY Sunday, August 22 2010

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Acting Prime Minister Winston Dookeran beams as he holds little Shauna Koon Koon Sanchez, aged four, at the 48th Independence anniversary spiritual se...

The legal and administrative framework to make the Government’s Children’s Life Fund a legal entity is almost complete, Acting Prime Minister Winston Dookeran revealed yesterday. Speaking to reporters after addressing an Independence Day service at the Holy Trinity Spiritual Baptist Church in Chinapoo Village, Morvant, Dookeran said, “The legal and administrative work for setting up the fund is complete and it will become a legal entity rather shortly, which will allow people to contribute more freely and in an open, transparent way.”

The much-touted fund was conceptualised by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to assist children with life-threatening medical conditions. It was one of the People’s Partnership’s major campaign promises in the run up to the May 24 General Election. Persad-Bissessar was in New York during the past ten days, trying to garner support for the fund, her pet project, among other engagements. She is due to return to Trinidad and Tobago today. Dookeran yesterday said the fund was receiving a lot of attention both at home and abroad.

‘The Prime Minister has gotten many pledges from private citizens to contribute to the fund,” he said.

“I haven’t got a figure on what these pledges are. I just know that a lot of pledges have been made. I also know that individuals have pledged money but we did not have the mechanics to put it in place and that is what we are doing now.”

Quizzed about the upcoming Budget, Dookeran stayed clear from giving a date. “We will announce that shortly. Let’s wait and see. The Prime Minister will be back and we will have to have discussions,” he said. The Finance Minister added that citizens should expect a large budget “but not as large as we had first anticipated”. Dookeran also responded to concerns to negative fallout in several quarters about the huge salaries that are being paid to new Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and fellow Canadian Deputy Commissioner Jack Ewatski. He admitted there would be implications for the Budget.

“Obviously, any increase in cost will affect the budgetary situation. But, we are trying to ensure that we can return to growth during the next economic year,” Dookeran said. “During that period, we hope to build back the hopes in the country and also build back the fiscal accounts.” Gibbs is reportedly being paid $2.5 million a year while Ewatski is expected to take home a package amounting to close to $104,000 per month.