‘This is not about elections’

GOVERNMENT’S increased expenditure sought in the mid-year budget review – which was passed in the House yesterday – is because of TT having no choice but to spend more money to mitigate the fallout from the covid19 pandemic and is nothing to do with the general election.

This was the position of Prime Minister Dr Rowley as he spoke during the debate on a motion calling for additional expenditure. He admitted that internationally, the pandemic would have influenced elections and TT is no different. He added that in TT, it must be noted that covid19 was not introduced as an election item but as a matter of life and death.

“Covid19 was not about elections and propaganda, it was about saving lives.” MPs were asked to adopt a report of the standing finance committee which sought to increase the 2020 Budget by over $2b.

“Everything we are doing now is influenced by a development by something that we did not plan for, it is game changing. We understand the Opposition are called opposition (but that) does not mean they have to be unreasonable in a pandemic. I want to indicate that whatever is said about how the government has gone about this, the one thing that cannot be truthfully said is that the government ignored the threat of a coming pandemic.”

Rowley added that the Government put the interest of TT first and had to make tough and even unpopular decisions.

He said the Government had to “reconstruct the economic outlook and abandon the budget of 2020 and create a space for the people. It had to reconstruct the economic outlook and create a space for people to survive and have a future after we survive.”

He added: “Where we at now and where we should be is not to be at each other’s throat and take credit but to plan a future after covid19. That’s where we are at and what this government is doing.”

He said there needs to be a certain level of honesty in dealing with crises otherwise “the crisis will deal with you.”

He added that the last economic growth was in 2008 and while no one was expecting a pandemic, the Government had to make decisions for the betterment of the country and there is a long way to go.

In moving forward Rowley said he and his Cabinet took “key positive steps” to ignite the energy sector which will see the country earning some $6.4 billion between 2018 through 2025 and a liquid natural gas deal that will allow the country to earn $802 million annually.

The settlement of outstanding claims with BP and the stabilization of TT’s gas production from 3.3 to 3.8 billion cubic feet daily was also part of the government’s plan to put TT in a better position beyond covid19.

“The energy market contracted because of ‘covee’, he said, adding that all the Opposition wants to do is to have the country fail so that they win the election.”