kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has downplayed the Opposition’s expectation of the “sweetener budget” saying that all budgets in T&T are sweethearts.
In a response to the Opposition’s expectation that the Government would bring out “budget goodies” in possibly the last year before the 2020 general elections, Rowley said that this year’s fiscal package will be no different to the others.
“The budgeting process in Trinidad & Tobago is an annual exercise and this one will be no different. All budgets in Trinidad & Tobago are sweetheart budgets because the national budget in Trinidad & Tobago is one where the State does a lot for the people of the territory. So all budgets in Trinidad & Tobago are sweetheart budgets,” Rowley said.
In the Parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced that he will present the 2020 national budget on October 7.
With the local government elections expected before the year-end, Opposition MPs Ganga Singh and Prakash Ramadhar said they expect the Government to present a budget aimed at helping them at the polls. During the UNC’s Monday night forum, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar told supporters to look out for a “condense milk” budget.