UNC senator plans to give finance minister migraines

Opposition senator Wade Mark has called for the resignation of the finance minister over the construction of million-dollar condos.

His call came after Colm Imbert dismissed claims in which Mark said the minister stood to benefit significantly from tax exemptions in the Finance Bill 2020 which enacts measures in the national budget.

At a media briefing on Saturday at the opposition's office on Charles Street, Port of Spain, Mark said Imbert needed to produce evidence to show that he was not engaged in any conflict of interest as minister and a private entrepreneur.

Mark’s allegations referred to the construction of condominium complex on Picton Street in Port of Spain which he claimed would fetch $55 million dollars once the apartments were sold.

With two boxes of painkillers on the table Mark said, “I brought some Panadol for the minister of finance, because we intend to give him a lot of migraines.

Imbert at a virtual media conference on Friday said only first-time homeowners would benefit from the tax-breaks on stamp duty.

“I can't possibly benefit from it,” Imbert said. “I'm not a first-time home-owner.”