‘Do not be fooled’

HEAR ME WELL: Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar speaks yesterday at the UNC’s launch of its local govt election campaign and presentation of candidates in Couva.  - MARVIN HAMILTON
HEAR ME WELL: Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar speaks yesterday at the UNC’s launch of its local govt election campaign and presentation of candidates in Couva. - MARVIN HAMILTON

UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar urged the nation not to be fooled by campaign promises and gimmicks by the government in the run up to the December 02, local government election.

This as she continued yesterday with what could be described as her general election manifesto (first unveiled during her Budget response in Parliament last month), at the party’s local government election launch in Couva.

Before a sea of supporters, most clad in the party’s yellow colours, many of whom happily chanted “Rowley must go”, Persad-Bissessar laid out the party’s plans once it returns to power in the 2020 general election. The rally, which took place at the Couva South constituency car park, saw police placing barricades at the traffic lights just before the Couva health facility and before the entrance of the Couva shopping plaza, to regulate the large number of vehicles which converged on the area.

Flanked by the party’s 139 local government candidates, Persad-Bissessar said the local govt election is “no ordinary election” as the population is faced with only two choices - a party which had delivered during its term in government and the other; a party which is all talk. “December 2 will be no ordinary election, that’s because we are not in ordinary times, never before in the history of TT has so much been at stake in an election.”Persad-Bissessar said while her party would reopen the Couva Children hospital, she alleged that the walls of the still under construction Point Fortin hospital is covered by a type of mould saying she has the photos and files to prove her allegation.

I LOVE MY PARTY: A supporter gets caught up in the moment yesterday. - MARVIN HAMILTON

She said the party consulted the best economists to formulate a nation al economic master plan which the UNC would employ once re-elected into office.

She said the master plan is built on five interconnected pillars- people centred development; to allow then private sector to drive growth and development; deepen economic reforms but with a human face; local content; sustainability. “We pledge to create 50,000 new jobs by 2025 and the heart of that job plan is diversifying the economy.” She said 12 prosperity engines has been identified including a Brechin Castle agro processing complex, Tamana solar Tec renewable energy park, East POS manufacturing steelpan facility, and Tobago’s first locally branded hotel.

“The first 90 days of a new UNC government, we will hit the ground running, I have shown the property tax legislation is flawed, we will repeal the property tax.”

She said the broken air and sea bridge between TT will also be fixed, while the praedial larceny squad will be incorporated into the TTPS, and settle outstanding issues with the former sugar and petrotrin workers.

She once again promised to “find a way’ to reopen the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery by working with stakeholders saying its closure was the ‘“biggest blunder” in the history of TT. She said they would also scrap then proposed Revenue Authority and instead strengthen the BIR to deal with the collection of taxes. The candidates are all expected to file their nomination papers today.

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"‘Do not be fooled’"

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