Hislop Slams $10M Billboard Spend
Former Senator Laurence Hislop has launched a scathing attack on the ruling Tobago People’s Party (TPP) administration, accusing the government of prioritizing « billboard governance » as the January 12th THA elections draw near. Speaking at a recent campaign rally, Hislop ridiculed the administration’s last-minute rush to unveil signage, alleging that over $10 million has been squandered on billboards for projects that have yet to break ground.
Hislop sharply criticized the timeline of these unveilings, describing it as « madness » for a government to be cutting ribbons on billboards in the final week before an election. He argued that this flurry of activity is a desperate attempt to simulate progress, with officials celebrating « coming soon » and « proposed » signs rather than delivering tangible infrastructure. He questioned the logic of an administration asking for a new mandate based on « fancy signage » rather than completed work.
The critique pointed to specific examples, including a billboard for the Scarborough Secondary School and another for an Early Childhood Center in Courland. According to Hislop, the TPP is operating on a platform of « coming soon, » with multiple signs erected « on top of Works Hill » and across the island, yet no actual facilities have been built. He urged voters to see through the « fanfare » and reject what he described as a superficial attempt to secure votes through costly advertisements rather than actual development.
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