Kamla hits ‘Hansel and Gretel budget’

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said no-one will be fooled by the “Hansel and Gretel budget” where crumbs were thrown to people without jobs.

She was speaking to reporters at the Parliament after the budget was read by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Persad-Bissessar said vague promises which will not materialise were repeated from past budgets and the presentation was nothing more than a continuation of bitter pills, but with a few spoonfuls of sugar added.

“Between now and next year it’s not going to happen, but they all sound good don’t they?”

While Imbert had quoted Bob Marley, Persad-Bissessar said the singer had once warned, “All that glitters is not gold.”

Saying people want jobs not light bulbs, she chuckled, “The brightest idea is bulbs? Are you for real?”

She claimed she had empirical proof of 63,000 people losing their jobs under this government, and the sum could be 100,000 based on personal anecdote.

Persad-Bissessar also asked why CEPEP and URP workers earn less than the new minimum wage of $17.50 (which she wished would be $20 per hour.) “It makes no sense.”

She said Imbert sounded unconvinced by his own budget which, she dubbed, “A screenplay from Balisier House” and “not a budget, but an advert.”

“He spoke as if 2020 is some magical place but it is three months away. Who would believe after four years they will do all this in one year?” Scoffing at Imbert’s theme of stability, she said, “The economy is more fragile than ever. It slaps band-aids on major issues.”

She said the government’s huge borrowing and consumption was not met by more revenues.

“A budget should have a critical plan to develop our country, not just a series of numbers.” Likening Imbert to a snake oil salesman, she said the government has no plan and cannot resurrect the economy. Quoting his citation of Marley – that some people feel the rain, she quipped, “But thousands are feeling the pain.”

Persad-Bissessar said instead of new police badges and uniforms, Imbert should give the police service the resources they need to fight crime. Denying his claims on tackling crime, she said citizens do not feel safe.

She said her budget response on Friday at 10 am will draw on the UNC’s 100-plus pre-budget consultations. “We’ll review the economy and put a comprehensive economic transformation master plan by the UNC. When you take the economy forward, the social sector will also go forward.”