Who is popular today?

A continuation of Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s response to the 2023/2024 national budget in the House of Representatives on October 6.
SWAHA budget recommendations
The SWAHA board and executive wish to suggest the following for consideration:
*Local Government and Social Development: Increased allocations to local government to facilitate effective infrastructural works and the efficient delivery of essential services to all communities. Increased engagement with NGOs/NPOs for social development programmes.
* Crime: Focus on developing a crime action plan to reduce serious crimes, including the introduction of nationwide CCTVs, drones to patrol borders, and automation of Port and Customs. Seek foreign consultants to plan and execute crime plans.
*VAT and other taxes and duties: removal of VAT on essential foods and everyday pharmacy items. Remove duties and taxes on baby food and products. Removal of seven per cent online purchase tax
*Education: GATE: Allow funding for programmes with a need or future need and do not limit people who have already benefited. Expansion and upgrade of the Textbook Management Programme to include greater availability of e-textbooks. Complete construction of unfinished primary, secondary, and ECCE schools.
*Legislative agenda: Revisit procurement legislation to promote transparency and accountability. Proclaim legislation on data privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and full proclamation on the Electronic Transaction Act. Property tax legislation to be reviewed in the context of current unresolved issues.
*Taxation: Automation of BIR, including cashless payments and refunds. Revisit tiered approach to PAYE. Tax incentives for non-institutional investors (public) to increase participation in the securities market.
*Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Public/private equity fund or venture capital fund. Expand Nedco funding. Government guarantee for MSME loans. Reintroduction of the Fair Share Programme. Further incentivise SME listing on the TTSE.
Recommendations from public consultations.
*Agriculture: Donny Rogers highlighted the pressing issues affecting crop reduction. Currently, Nestle is importing milk and poultry production has hit a low point. He has recommended for the Government to present a comprehensive plan for the agriculture sector.
*Crime: Selvonne Mitchell, from Montrose, suggested linking all existing residential and commercial security cameras in Chaguanas into an overarching security system that systematically covers areas, in collaboration with artificial intelligence, to identify criminals as they move from place to place.
*Culture: Banjela, the 2020 Calypso Young King, recommended establishment of partnerships with educational institutions to integrate cultural education into the curriculum, fostering a sense of cultural pride and identity from an early age.
*Education: Jasmine Ali recommended the completion of construction of the Preysal Primary School. Students of the Preysal Government Primary School currently are being housed at a community centre for the past five years.
*Health care for children/ disability grants: Patricia Lezama asked for the wait time and lack of beds at the nation’s hospitals to be addressed. Expressed her concerns with the funding given to senior citizens and persons with disabilities and recommended that the funding for differently abled children be increased as it doesn’t cover their medical expenses.
Kristen Townsend, of Mayaro, revealed that residents have to go to Sangre Grande or San Fernando to access hospital care and recommended the upgrade of the Mayaro health facility. Dr Narendra Roopnarine spoke about the need to improve the quality of health care provision and quantity. He suggested maternal health education be part of the school curriculum.
*Legal firearm access: Mr Ramjandra Singh mentioned difficulties in obtaining an FUL (firearm user’s license). Recommended the process be made easier.
*Infrastructure: Every consultation nationwide, people rightly complained about the state of our roads and bridges.
Christopher Jackman, from the OWTU, has emphasised that the shutting down of Petrotrin not only meant that we no longer produced fuel for domestic consumption but also did not produce bitumen, which is necessary for paving roads. Residents nationwide have complained about the dilapidated state of recreation grounds nationwide.
*Petrotrin pension plan: Mr Golcharran, a former employee of Petrotrin, raised concerns about the status of the pension plan which has been steadily deteriorating since the company’s shutdown. He recommended that the Government should allocate money to bolster the Petrotrin pension plan and for the minister to provide an update on the plan.
*Praedial larceny: Many farmers have raised the problem of praedial larceny at our consultations, and this deserves a special mention. The farmers suggested the Government provide the praedial larceny units with vehicles, proper equipment, and staffing.
*Prisoner rehabilitation: Nigel Moses, from Arima, suggested the need for a proper parole system in TT which can help with the judicial system to ensure crime goes down.
*Recreation: Kenneth Rampersad, from Tumpuna, wants to see more recreation grounds illuminated and upkept as there is a need for more people to exercise and increase family bonding.
*Scholarships: Emmerson Cheddie, of Siparia, requested increased allocations to provide more scholarships for poor and disadvantaged students.
*Special-needs citizens: Helen Narinesingh, from Arima, recommended more special-needs schools and an increase in special-needs grants.
*Tourism: In Sangre Grande and Mayaro, residents recommended tourism development along the east coast. They requested that the east coast be developed to become a premier tourist destination in the Caribbean.
*Water: Citizens all over the country have complained about the lack of water and the fact that not only does the Government expect them to pay bills and not receive the service, but the Government is looking to raise rates. Some residents complained of not getting pipe-borne water for almost 50 days. Some citizens called for the CEO of WASA to be removed.
*Youth unemployment: Ambika Goysne highlighted her concerns about employment for youth regarding the over saturation of the on-the-job programme. She highlighted that the waiting period for a first interview can take years. She recommended that the Government address this issue.
Areas of greatest concern
If this government had consulted with the people before this budget, the finance minister would have had an accurate list of priorities to impact areas of greatest concern positively.
That’s what we did when we were in government. When you talk to people, they will often give you very useful solutions. Indeed, citizens are very creative and informed. Many came to these consultations well-prepared, some with pages of ideas to share.
And that is the tragedy of this Government, they do not harness the potential, the experience, the ideas, or the greatness of our society. That is the attitude of this Government. We, on this side, are showing the country that our philosophy and practice are different, and the way we govern is participatory. People have given this Government endless chances for co-operative participation, but it fails them every time.
Year after year, this Government comes to this House and deludes themselves that the country is doing well, that the population is doing well, while citizens know the truth. It has cost our citizens $420 billion since they have taken office and will cost a further $59.209 billion (or more correctly $71.4 billion) over the next 12 months. Totalling almost $500 billion dollars or half a trillion dollars.
By the end of fiscal 2024, this Government would have spent almost half of a trillion dollars.
This year, the minister has themed the budget “Building Capacity for Diversification and Growth,” but he has given us zero measures during his four hours presentation for diversifying the economy and generating new revenue streams.
BUDGET RESPONSE continues on page 15
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