Citizens expect ‘gloom and doom’ for 2025 budget

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 on September 30 asking people what their expectations are ahead of the 2025 budget presentation by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

This will be Imbert’s tenth consecutive budget presentation.

The reading of the budget for fiscal 2025, which had a prompt start at 1.30pm, can raise public angst as people wait to see what new measures, policies or taxes may be implemented or rescinded by the government – and the potential ramifications of those decisions on their standard of living.

For fiscal 2024, the national security, health and education ministries bit the biggest chunk of the budget, receiving $6.442 billion, $6.020 billion and $5.794 billion respectively.

Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland has already confirmed that his ministry will be prioritised in the budget in a telephone interview with Newsday on September 29. With the prevalence of violent crime being a major national concern, citizens may have especially high budget expectations for the ministry and police service.

Responding to the poll, increases in taxes and the price of gas were among some of the concerns raised while some people were optimistic there will be an increase in minimum wage and employment.

This is what the people had to say.

Francisco Raphael Santana, Facebook: “I expect more pressure on taxpayers. The government keep asking citizens to make sacrifices while government ministers’ salaries keep going up and perks keep increasing for them. The wealth of the nation is not being shared with the working class and those who have retired."

Anil Maraj, Facebook: “Going to raise the cost of CNG (natural gas).”

Lester Straight, Facebook: “Tighten your belt, difficult times ahead.”

Robbie Ragbar, Facebook: “More for the one percent and wealthy and less for the tax-paying citizens.”

Kurt Lynch, Facebook: “Who will be receiving cuts in allocation? What new taxes will be implemented? When in 2025 the collection will commence? Where we will be expected to pay? Why this new tax had to be imposed?”

Rohan Ramgoolam, Facebook: “More gloom and doom. Anyone remember when Rowley was the Opposition Leader he said, ‘There will be no property tax imposed on the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago?’”

Brendan Kahn, Facebook: “The leader of the country already warned us.”

Vashtie Persian, Facebook: “Things will get tougher.”

Adreana Singh, Facebook: “Expect the worse.”

Vidya Satnarayan Maharaj, Facebook: “For Kamla Persad Bissessar to respond with a story of doom and gloom but won’t answer when the UNC will obey all those orders that were handed down by various courts and pay the people of this country.”

Azeem Manshoor, Facebook: “Election budget.”

Immanuel Atwenza, Facebook: “Tighten your belt and eat grass.”

Baliram Ramdath, Facebook: “Tax, tax, tax and more tax.”

richboy_babbs, Instagram: “For the PNM to come out of power.”

melodymain, Instagram: “More jobs.”

adailakmani, Instagram: “An increase in minimum wage.”

garymootoo, Instagram: Pressure for the business owners and employers. More useless projects.”

varietycrochet, Instagram: “Pressure and stress.”

smartgarvin, Instagram: “Pain, pain and more pain.”

zarreyfareed21, Instagram: “Pressure as always.”

mykeytriniboi, Instagram: “Nothing for the citizens.”

Joshua P Walcott, X: “Two huge, new beautiful jails.