Nakhid ruled offside in budget debate

OPPOSITION Senator and former national footballer David Nakhid found himself being ruled offside a few times during his contribution to the budget debate in the Senate.

Nakhid's first caution from Senate President Christine Kangaloo came after he alleged the PNM was being supported by drug traffickers. He withdrew the allegation after Kangaloo instructed him to.

Kangaloo warned Nahkid again when he claimed Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat was the PNM's new "hatchet man" and was doing things to benefit the party in agriculture. She told him, "Withdraw your last statement and move on."

Kangaloo had to referee Nakhid for a third time after he called Sport and Community Development Minister Shamfa Cudjoe a serial non-performer. She warned him, "You are speaking about a Member of Parliament. and therefore I will ask you to refine your language."

Nakhid described the budget as a "kick the can" budget, designed to buy the PNM more time in office. He alleged it would make PNM financiers extremely comfortable at the expense of poor people.

"They want to squeeze water from stones."

Nakhid described the PNM as neo-colonists, but claimed people preferred to suffer under the PNM instead of prospering under the UNC.

He alleged $12 to $20 million was spent to refurbish the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago and that certain ethnic groups were no longer part of the pool of talent from which players for the national football teams could be drawn.