In keeping with its objective to take the country to developed nation status by 2020, Government allocated US$274.2 million in fiscal year 2009 to the University of Trinidad and Tobago. The construction of the main campus of UTT at Tamana was advanced through the use of $172 million under the Inter-American Development Bank. Activities then continued on various campuses, with expenditure of US$105 million from an allocation of US$140 million which included works at the O'Meara Campus, where four offices were constructed in the HR Unit and a Skylight Canopy, along with furniture and equipment were acquired to support ICT programmes; works at the Centre for Maritime Studies in Chaguaramas, which included completion of the sound and lighting system for the Auditorium; upgrades to the Bio-Remediation Lab and installation of an elevator at the Point Lisas Campus; completion of upgrade works at the Corinth Campus; construction of Waste Water Treatment Plant at the Valsayn Campus; completion of construction of a New Green House for Research at the Centre for Bio-Sciences, Agriculture and Food Technology; continued upgrade of safety and security systems at the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (ECIAF).
At the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, a total of US$11 million was used to continue construction on the Teaching and Learning Complex and preliminary designs commenced for the Canada Hall Renovation and Extension Project. In fiscal year 2009, The College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, COSTATT spent US$13.4 million from its allocation of US$16 million. The National Library and Information System (NALIS) utilized US$14.5 million from US$29.5 million on several activities aimed at improving library services. Tenders were also invited for construction of the new Chaguanas Public Library. These initiatives all form part of Government's Public Sector Investment Programme 2009 under the Vision 2020 pillar of Developing an Innovative People.
