Budget 2025 Live X Feed

Live coverage of the 2025 budget on X from Newsday reporter Narissa Fraser @rhopico and Newsday Editor Ken Chee Hing @NewsdayEditr.

ALL SPORTING EQUIPMENT TO BE EXEMPT FROM TAXES

Finance Minister Colm Imbert said to encourage healthy lifestyles, from January 2025, all sporting equipment (not including clothes) will be exempt from taxes #TTBudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Electric vehicles - In 2025 all electric vehicle charging items will now be tax exempt. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Book grant $1,000 grant given in 2024, assisted 20,000 needy students. The book grant will be repeated in 2025, at a cost of $20m@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The Govt will offer public sector workers an increase of 5%. This will cost Govt additional $475m per year in recurrent expenditure with backpay up to the end of 2024, estimated at well over $1b. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: On wage negotiations in public service, Chief Personnel Officer instructed to commence negotiations for those public servants who accepted the Govt's wage increase for the bargaining period Jan 2020 to Dec 2022.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Imbert: 38,087 flights on airbridge between January 2020 and July 2024https://t.co/8HlepcVRzJ

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

MINIMUM WAGE TO INCREASE FOR PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS

It moves from $20.50 to $22.50

Finance Minister Colm Imbert says this will benefit 5,100 MTS workers, 6,900 CEPEP workers and 6,200 URP workers.

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The increase in the minimum wage for public sector workers, will cost Govt $75m and will come into effect on November 1.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The increase of $2.50 in the minumum wage of public sector workers will put an extra $500 per month to these workers including MTS workers and janitorial workers in the public sector. Cepep and URP workers will benefit. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The increase of $2.50 in the minumum wage of public sector workers will put an extra $500 per month to these workers including MTS workers and janitorial workers in the public sector. Cepep and URP workers will benefit. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: INCA Energy LLC of the US, Oando PLC of Nigeria and CRO Consortium, a TT-based entity have been shortlisted to purchase Petrotrin. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Govt will establish agriculture internship programme for 30 interns, allocation of $2.2m for this programme. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

An online numeracy programme for adults will be implemented in fiscal 2025.#ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Special projects to be embarked on: divestment of the Magdalena Hotel it is now for sale or lease; new intl hotel development; a request for proposals will be made to develop a new 5-star internationally branded resort hotel in Buccoo. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Major allocations cont'd: transport $1.410b; agriculture $1.184b; housing $750m.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Major areas of allocations:
education $7.512b; health $7.571b; national security $6.113b; public utilities $3.221b; infrastructure $1.862b; rural development and local govt $1.771b @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The fiscal deficit estimated at $5.517b is 2.91% of GDP@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Total estimated revenue of $54.224b comprises $14.174b in oil revenue, $35.039b in non-oil revenue and $4.011b from capital revenue. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Govt expects total revenue to be $54.224 billion; total expenditure of $59.741b - a fiscal deficit of $5.517b.

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Govt's assumption of oil price for the budget 2025 is US$77.80 per barrel compared to US$85 p.r in 2024. Nat Gas price assumption is US$3.59 per mmbtu as compared with US$5 per mmbtu in 2024.

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: The THA's budgetary allocation totals $2.599 billion of which $2.376b is for recurrent expenditure, $205m for development, $18m for URP, $9.2m for Cepep - an increase of $22.756m over the 2024 allocation; a 4.35% slice of the natl budget. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Imbert: Education sector to receive new programmeshttps://t.co/zCE6XJHoym

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Imbert: Digital medical records system by December 2025https://t.co/ZBA998vqtq

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

$2.599 billion budget allocation for Tobago in fiscal 2025#ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Imbert: E-passports, online embarking/disembarking forms coming soonhttps://t.co/UtaghboKm4

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Imbert: 2,000 new cars for cops, more assets to secure borders https://t.co/tl3KNmT6nJ

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: From 2021-2024, old age pension has cost $16.6 billion impacting 114,047 people, the public assistance grant has cost $1.2b impacting 15,605 people, the disability assistance grant inclusive of minors, cost $2.4b impacting 24,845 people@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt stands committed to settling any "mutually agreed" arrears with the University of the West Indies in fiscal 2025. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Immigration Division to get automated fingerprint ID systemhttps://t.co/RIJ5ViHyI9

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert said government has approved ten special economic zones across the country in accordance with the Special Economic Zones Act 2022.https://t.co/KmnRykO0OJ pic.twitter.com/E38NzO6SyW

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt has acquired 8 advanced health care robots from the Indian govt at a cost of US$1m as part of ongoing efforts to digitise the healthcare system. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says there is a deep seated concern in the Govt on the issue of crime and that behind every crime statistic is a person, a family, a community that deserves to feel safe and secure.
@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says a new training facility will be established in Cumuto to support both new TTPS recruits and the continuous development of serving officers. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says the TTPS will expand its fleet by 2,000 vehicles over the next 3 years, with 500 new vehicles expected in the first phase. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says a Special Anti Crime Operations Unit will immediately assume responsibility for the elimination and disruption of home and businessplace invasions. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says the TTPS has advised it is purchasing more body cams to be worn by police; additional speedguns; and technology for quicker finger printing. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says over last 10 years, police have seized 7,683 illegal guns; 3,986 people were murdered with use of illegal firearms over this period. Govt has financed the TTPS to the tune of $26 billion over this 10 year period.@Newsday_TT#ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert: The one area of greatest intransigent difficulty which remains and continues to resist Govt's best efforts, is violent behaviour and criminality largely highlighted by murders involving the use of illegal firearms. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

In fiscal 2025, the Immigration Division will begin working on an automated fingerprint identification system. #ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says purchase of 4 patrol launches, 8 high speed interceptors, two surveillance fixed wing aircrafts, and purchase of drones for surveillance, will be priorities for Nat Security in 2025. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says over last 10 years, police have seized illegal 7,683 guns. 3,986 people murdered with use of illegal firearms over this period. Govt has finances TTPS to tune of $26billion over that 10 year period. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt agreed to building PanTrinbago H/Q on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, at a cost of $120m.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says cruise tourism is thriving. The 2023/2024 season saw an increase of 91% in cruise arrivals compared to previous season with a total of 181,701 passengers arriving in TT. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert says the construction of the terminal building of the new ANR Robinson airport has, to date, cost the government TT$885 million.https://t.co/eeL2IQyY9V

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says earlier this month, Govt approved Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, Dow Village Ind Est, Factory Rd Ind Park, Debe Ind Park, Pt Fortin Ind Park, Tobago Cove Eco Park and Piarco Aero Park as special economic zones.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says 900 acres of land earmarked for the planting of coconuts in an effort to revitalise this sector of TT's agriclture. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt will utilise digital transformation to support the agri sector. He says rehabilitation of the cocoa industry is of high priority to Govt. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Mitigating the effects of climate change remains a top priority, says Finance Minister Colm Imbert.#ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says for 2025 Govt is focused on improving infrastructure in the agri sector and utilising renewable energy in this sector. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says food import bill remains high and is estimated at $7.2b. Addressing food security remains Govt's top priority. Govt has established a Food Security Committee to address issues of rising food prices. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt making significant strides in National eCommerce strategy in order to harness existing opportunities in digital transformation. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt will be introducing the Social Benefits Wallet to improve payment of social benefits and grants and cutting out red tape. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Heritage Petroleum was the largest crude producer for the period Oct 23 to May 24 with 34,326 barrels of oil per day of 68% of TT's production of crude oil and condensate. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

THE Gambling, Gaming and Betting Control Act, designed to prevent money laundering, tax evasion and protect the public errant operators, is expected to be proclaimed in January.https://t.co/dSa4RxXjWI

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

MORE gloom and doom, expect the worse, tighten your belt and eat grass were some of the sentiments shared by people in response to a Newsday poll asking people what their expectations are ahead of the 2025 budget presentation by the Finance Minister.https://t.co/oaENQFsicE

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt stands to achieve higher returns from the export of LNG.
@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says that with Atlantic LnG regi zzz zzzzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzzzzzz snort. Sorry, I fell asleep for a moment there. Ahem.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert has said there will be an online payment option for property tax by or before October 31.https://t.co/bNQ3Y263Ps

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says "Calder Hal" making the House erupt in laughter, as he was referring to Calder Hall. He then blames the Opposition for not hearing properly. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert praises the Urban Development Corporation for its work in the past 5 years including the Arima Hospital, Pt Fortin Hospital, Diego Martin health centre, PoS Central Block etc.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says approximately 80 % of work on the new Tobago airport terminal is completed and the project will be completed in 2025 at a cost of US$130m.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

The budget presentation started a little after 1.30 pm.

At 3.01 pm, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said he’s probably about 1/4 way into his speech. #ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT pic.twitter.com/4IUl8Y6jv2

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says there have been over 150 road rehabilitation projects on secondary road network. Over 80 of these projects have been completed to date. 100 new road-paving programmes in 2025 at a cost of over $200m.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says the Ministry of Works and Transport engaged 25 small contractors for its in-house road rehabilitation and patching work and this will be increased in 2025, to 50 contractors. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension is fully operational and has reduced the travel time from San Fernando to Pt Fortin from 1 1/hrs to 20 mins. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

The 2025 budget will be presented by Finance Minister Colm Imbert on September 30.

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says following extensive discussions with Central Bank, the Bank increased the deposit insurance coverage from $125k to $200k to deal with inflation and offer more protection to deposit holders. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert says the government will not “go after little people like nuts vendors” using the TT Revenue Authority.https://t.co/bs6abrLeRS

— T&T Newsday (@Newsday_TT) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says the Nat'l Investment Fund (NIF) has consistently met all of its financial obligations on bonds issued by Govt. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says creation of TT Mortgage Bank makes home ownership more accessible and leveling the playing field. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says expect a full proclamation of the Gambling Act in 2025 as Govt moves to better manage and control the gambling sector. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says operationalising of a Gambling Commission will ensure gambling is done in an open and fair manner and prevents gambling from being a source of crime. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says as of Sept 20, 89,441 residential property owners paid property taxes totalling $91 million in revenue. This sum and property taxes collected in 2025, will be distributed to local govt bodies in 2025. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says TT is behind the world when it comes to cashless economy. He said in India, there are 3 billion cashless transactions per day. He hits the Opposition Leader's criticism of cashless economy. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

By or before October 31st, there will be an online option to pay property tax.

“Cashless is the way to go for many reasons,” says the Finance Minister.#ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says Govt expects to have an online payment regime for property tax on or before October 31. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Imbert says in response to public feedback and in the interest of fairness, the property tax was reduced from 3% to 2%. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert reminds that a PNM Govt reduced VAT, increased personal tax allowance by 50% over last 9 years, exempted taxes on CCTV cameras, exempted various imputs in to agri sector from taxes. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says when it comes to revenue collection and evasion of paying taxes, Govt not going after the honest nutsman, "we have bigger fish to fry!" @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says the TT Revenue Authority represents a significant advancement for TT as it improves ease of doing business, data collection, and ending an antiquated system. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says unemployment rate increased to 5.4% in first quarter of 2024 from 4.1 % in the 4th quarter of 2023. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert guarantees that TT will not be going to the IMF for a bailout. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says to further bolster reserves, Govt plans to implement laws to have all energy taxes remitted to the Govt in US dollars. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says gross official reserves are US$5.5 billion and the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund (HSF) is US$6.1b.@Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says by July 2024 inflation rate was 0.3%, "possibly TT's lowest in its history." @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2024: Finance Minister Imbert says the June 2024 IMF report confirmed TT is undergoing economic growth. @Newsday_TT #ttbudget2025

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Colm Imbert says TT has had three consecutive years of real growth. @Newsday_TT

— Ken Chee Hing (@NewsdayEditr) September 30, 2024

The theme of the 2025 budget presentation is Steadfast and Resolute: Forging Pathways to Prosperity. #ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024

Finance Imbert Colm Imbert says the economy is now stronger and more resilient when compared to before the covid19 pandemic. #ttbudget2025 @Newsday_TT

— Narissa Fraser (@rhopico) September 30, 2024