Budget date next week

Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert says the Government takes note of opinion polls and indeed reads everything published in local newspapers, when asked about two recent polls giving Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley a fairly low approval rating. “We don’t ignore these things but don't overreact to them as well. We have taken note of everything published. We read everything in the papers everyday. We internalise it, digest it.”

Imbert used the occasion of a media briefing at Tower D, Port-of-Spain, on two hurricanes to answer questions on governance. Asked for a date for the National Budget speech, he said he would provide this date "soon, some time next week". Asked for one adjective to describe the Budget’s flavour, he declined to say so, advising that it would be given in his statement next week.

This statement will include the Government’s policy, performance and plans, he said. Imbert said the Budget debates must be completed in both Houses of Parliament by October 30. Regarding online reports that the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) recommended criminal and disciplinary action against certain police officers for the “Day of Total Policing” that locked down the country’s road-grid, Imbert said the PCA must be careful what it puts out, so as to not make pronouncements but just recommendations.