A new UNC Government will repeal the Property Tax Act and address payments to several sectors including business, cane farmers and ex-Petrotrin workers in its first 90 days of office, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised.
She detailed the UNC’s plans for Government in her reply to the 2020 Budget in Parliament yesterday where she slammed both PNM Government and its Budget. She said it was the PNM’s swan song on the eve of elections.
“This budget is a condescending insult to the poor, an insult to the marginalised, the working classes , struggling mothers and fathers. The Finance Minister on Monday threw out crumbs to the most vulnerable persons in society. Imagine a $2.50 minimum wage hike and a five-dollar bulb! This can’t even buy a box of KFC!” Persad- Bissessar declared.
“CEPEP and URP workers will earn less than the new minimum wage as they got a 15 per cent increase while the minimum wage increased by 16.7 per cent. This pittance cannot even buy a loaf of bread. The Finance Minister was practising spin better than Sunil Narine!”
“You’re giving crumbs while you all are eating cake! This Budget is the bread the devil kneads. But we’ll take you to court for discriminating against CEPEP and URP workers! Government’s version of financial equality is to make everyone poorer—except their friends, families and financiers.”
Persad-Bissessar said youths are breaking out of tribal voting.
“You think hand-outs and mamaguy will get you votes, but times have changed,” she said.
Detailing at length what the PP/UNC did in its term, she said the PNM dismantled it.
“Some 63,000 people lost jobs this term. Now they come to mamaguy the most vulnerable in society.... We decreased the cost of living and this government did everything to increase it,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She warned, “There’s only so much abuse, disrespect and oppression people can tolerate; the line between restraint and chaos is growing thinner by the day. I put this government on notice that a reckoning is coming, and it’s coming soon. Those of you who live so lavishly and leave so little for the rest will pay a heavy political price.”
“The Rowley regime has displayed a cold-hearted attitude to tens of thousands of workers who they caused to be fired, lose their homes and broke their families. Now you say you want to give them the refinery to run. Why fire them in the first place?”
She said the UNC supported giving the refinery to the OWTU’s company and a new UNC government will work with stakeholders to swiftly resolve all outstanding issues regarding former Petrotrin workers.
Detailing economic strides the PP had made she cited economic indictors, saying the PNM had destroyed the economy and engaged in a “ barrage of misinformation, misdirection and mismanagement.
“Thousands are also reeling from floods. The Minister knows as he was marooned in the flood. Don’t worry Minister, I’ll come in my yellow canoe to rescue you, in the same way we ‘ll rescue TT,” she said.
UNC’s National Economic Transformation Plan
Detailing the UNC’s National Economic Transformation Plan for 2020-2025 , she said, “The PNM talks, the UNC Works.”
Plans for the first 90 days include:
• Ascertaining the true state of the economy, TT’s finances and capital projects, and share that information with citizens.
•Provide the Office of the Procurement Regulator with budgetary resources.
• Prepare a divestment plan and debt workout strategy for non-strategic, loss-making state enterprises.
• Repeal the Property Tax legislation.
• Scrap the TT Revenue Authority.
• Address the issue of outstanding VAT Refunds
• Prepare legislation for reducing personal income and corporate taxes and simplifying the VAT regime
• Draft legislation to fully integrate the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) into a new fiscal responsibility framework
• Mandate each Minister to prepare a one-year action agenda for consideration and approval of Cabinet.
• Project plan for completion of all infrastructural projects currently in train.
• Prioritise resolution of all outstanding issues regarding former Caroni workers and cane farmers, and former Petrotrin employees.
• Incorporate the Praedial Larceny Squad into TTPS.
• Establish the Economic Strategy Council
• Initiate discussions on forging economic partnership agreements with the governments of Israel, the Netherlands and Philippines, among others.
• Implement a fully functioning sea-bridge and an equally reliable and dependable air bridge
Persad-Bissesar, who called for investigation of the Clico/BAT deal, also disputed that the Petrotrin refinery was being sold debt-free.
“On the Company documents of the three companies which replaced Petrotrin a Deed of Debenture dated 28th June was made with First Caribbean International Bank as agent for the Bank of New York . These Companies together took mortgages to secure the sum of approximately $8 Billion TT Dollars. Is the OWTU going to pay this loan and did you inform them of it?”
She said the National Security Minister had failed and Government was putting pressure on police funding. UNC’s plans for government included extensive plans for training police, and equipping them.
Persad-Bissessar’s contribution sustained so much grumbling from PNM MPs that House Speaker Bridgid Annisette -George had to continuously call for order and Persad- Bissessar also had to angrily demand many times that PNMites stop interrupting her.