PM defends taxes: Every pot to stand on its own bottom

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. - File photo

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said it is time “for every pot to stand on its own bottom” as every citizen’s taxes should be used to directly uplift and improve their lives.

In WhatsApp messages to Newsday, in response to the PNM’s criticism, Persad-Bissessar vehemently defended the recent tax implementations, which include the doubling of the bus-route toll fee, increasing the births and deaths registration fee and the doubling of customs fees.

Via social media posts, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles warned citizens to brace for “economic hardship” as taxation has become the government’s theme for 2026.

“I don’t think the PNM actually knows what’s going on in parliamentary or legislative matters. All these changes were present first in the budget and second in the finance bill,” Persad-Bissessar said, calling for government entities to be self-sufficient and responsible for their own support.

“Why should a teacher from Mayaro pay taxes to subsidise the maintenance or operation of the bus route when he doesn’t use it? If you use the bus route, you should pay for it, not someone else.

“Why should a police officer from Paramin pay taxes to subsidise birth certificates when he has no children? If you make children, you should pay to register them. Why should someone else have to pay for your child? Why should a nurse pay taxes to subsidise customs fees for a businessman? If you are importing goods to sell to make a profit, you should pay the fees, instead of someone else’s taxes paying it for you.

“Each citizen's taxes should ideally be used to directly uplift and improve their lives. It’s not proper that people want to make choices for their lives and have others foot the bill for it.”

She also responded to criticism of the extended state of emergency (SoE) and her comments about Trinidad and Tobago having become a “lawless dump.”

“As I said before, everyone is free to do what they want. The SoE is not restricting anyone. Feel free to drive recklessly and kill yourself if you want, feel free to encourage your children to smoke ganja and drink rum if you want, feel free to mash up and burn down the place if you want.”

She said the government will prioritise law-abiding citizens and not continue using taxpayers' dollars to "subsidise destructive economic policies, negative lifestyles and ruinous personal behaviours.

“If the PNM believes the country is not a lawless dump, that’s ok with me. The PNM has never cared about their own supporters. A simple example is that the Port-of-Spain and Diego Martin corporations have funds to pick up garbage in certain special areas but leave the garbage to pile up in the streets in their supporters' areas.

“That's the PNM for you, hateful to their own people.”

She said “hardcore PNM constituencies” have the highest murder, crime, unemployment rates and poorest infrastructure, worst educational facilities and worst outcomes.

“I don’t want any constituency to be like that and will do everything possible to uplift UNC and PNM supporters and all law-abiding citizens to make their lives better. There are some who say they want change but they really want exchange to continue the same destructive behaviour once they become the new beneficiaries.

“You can’t fix the problems in the country if you don’t face the reality and say, this is broken, that is dysfunctional and we need to make changes to improve. If the PNM has no ambition for their supporters, so be it, but I want the best for UNC supporters and law-abiding citizens.

“The country is a lawless dump,” she reiterated.

“And everyone contributed to it. That's the truth.”