Penny, Mickela: PM has questions to answer on economy

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles. - File photo

OPPOSITION Leader Pennelope Beckles and Patriotic Front political leader Mickela Panday have said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has questions to answer about what sustainable measures government is taking to address Trinidad and Tobago's economic challenges.

They made their comments in separate statements on December 29. Both of them condemned Persad-Bissessar's description of TT as "a lawless dump" in her defence of increased penalties for road traffic offences.

Beckles said, "Contrary to her empty promises while in opposition, Kamla Persad-Bissessar has once again proved her love is for office and not service to country."

She added, "This reprehensible resort to insulting the very country that she calls home is distasteful and unbecoming of a prime minister."

Beckles claimed, "It therefore can only be assumed that her reference to TT has ‘become a lawless dump’ is a description of the amalgamation of characters who have found themselves in her current government."

She said, "Instead of promoting enforcement, reforming institutions, or addressing the real causes of crime, this government is choosing to punish citizens through higher fines and fees."

Beckles, who is also PNM political leader, added, "Hard-working Trinbagonians are not criminals, and the country’s leadership should never speak down to the people it serves."

She was unfazed by Persad-Bissessar's personal attacks against her, describing them as petty.

Beckles said, " The real and only embarrassment is her irrational position taken on Caricom, which is likely to cost this country billions of dollars in revenue."

Since the US military deployment in the Southern Caribbean began in August, Persad-Bissessar has defended all issues related to the deployment, including US military strikes on alleged drug vessels in the region which many countries have described as extrajudicial killings.

Persad-Bissessar has publicly disagreed with Caricom about the deployment and described Caricom as an unreliable partner. She has also condemned local and regional critics of the deployment, saying the US is the only nation in the world that can protect TT from any external security threat. Persad-Bissessar has also said TT has not made any decision to withdraw from Caricom.

Beckles said Persad-Bissessar will be remembered as "the Prime Minister of Taxation, one who attempted to govern through fear, threats, insults, and bullying of the people of TT."

She repeated the PNM will continue to stand for fairness, respect, and real solutions to the problems facing the country.against the people who we serve.

Beckles recalled the 50,000 workers from Cepep, URP and other places that were fired from their jobs since the UNC assumed office in April.

"So yes, Madam Prime Minister, we take issue with the exorbitant increase in alcohol prices, the rise in customs taxes, higher birth and death registration fees, punitive traffic fines, and the hikes in NIS contributions."

Beckles warned, "These measures will adversely affect the standard of living, weaken our economy, and fundamentally alter TT as we know it."

Panday: Citizens aren't the problem

Panday called on Persad-Bissessar to "address the nation directly and explain how years of failed governance have suddenly become the fault of citizens."

She told Persad-Bissessar the citizens are "not the problem, they are the backbone of this country, keeping it functioning despite repeated political failures."

Panday said, "Patriotism means defending the nation and its people, not demeaning and blaming them to justify fines, taxes and the absence of real reform."

Patriotic Front political leader Mickela Panday. - File photo

She added, "That is why there is something callous and calculated, a kind of governance by ambush, in raising fines, fees and tolls without debate, without justification and without honesty, quietly slipped out on Christmas Day and timed to take effect at the start of a new year, when households are already stretched to the limit."

Panday observed that while the UNC loudly criticised the former PNM government's property tax regime, this was "quietly replaced by more taxes like the landlord tax and an electricity surcharge."

The UNC, she continued, redistributed and concealed this burden and did not remove it.

"The same sleight of hand applies to road safety."

Panday said if "road safety was truly the priority, reforms would have been announced openly, not smuggled in via Christmas Day legal notices."

She added the UNC has shown through its actions, it is no better than its PNM predecessor.

"Today we have a continuation of the same mismanagement and misconduct under new party colours, with citizens left no better off and still footing the bill."