Former UNC MP: 'Get well, President Trump'

FORMER Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh on Saturday prayed that US President Donald Trump would soon recover from covid19.

Trump and his wife Melania tested positive for covid19 on Thursday.

At a virtual pre-budget consultation in Debe on Saturday, Gopeesingh said, "May I at this time also, through the American Embassy, extend our sincerest best wishes for a speedy, safe and fast recovery for the United States President and to all the people of the United States, our hearts are with you."

Gopeesingh recalled that it was only in August that he was diagnosed as being covid19-positive. He said he was thankful for the medical care he received while in hospital and that he has made a full recovery.

"I have been blessed by God. I was spared the wrath of this covid virus."

But Gopeesingh dismissed reported statements made at the virtual health news conference earlier in the day about a 35 per cent reduction in covid19 cases in TT.

"Where is the empirical data to support this?" he asked.

Gopeesingh reiterated the Opposition's claims about Government not providing accurate figures relating to covid19 cases in TT.

He also reiterated UNC claims about the parallel health system established to deal with people who test positive for the virus.

"There are questions for the Minister of Health to answer."

Gopeesingh claimed that after spending $281 billion on health over the last five years, the PNM has done nothing to improve the health sector. He called for all of the country's regional health authorities to be scrapped and for the creation of a special national lottery for cancer patients to receive the treatment they needed.

Penal/Debe Regional Corporation chairman Dr Allen Sammy claimed that local government is in a crisis because none of the corporations receive the funds they request. After claiming that his corporation never received a $67 million allocation it requested, Sammy said he wanted Finance Minister Colm Imbert to tag local government to the budget and corporations to receive funding relative to the size of the jurisdictions they govern.

St Lucian economist Claudius Preville said TT accounts for almost 37 per cent of Caricom's Gross Domestic Product and has been one of the better-run economies in the region. Preville suggested that Government place greater emphasis on diversification and not impose any new taxes at this time.