UNC complains about PNM-inflicted hardships

UNC MPs David Lee and Vandana Mohit complained about what they described as hardships inflicted on the population by the PNM over the last nine years.

They continued the UNC's criticism of the $59.7 billion 2024/2025 budget at a news conference in Chaguanas on October 6.

The budget debate began in the House of Representatives on October 4, with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's response to Finance Minister Colm Imbert's budget presentation on September 30.

The debate continues in the House on October 7.

Lee claimed one hardship which government intended to inflict on the population was reflected in an aborted plan by the Hyatt Regency Hotel no longer to accept local currency. He said this plan was aborted after the hotel received a plethora of criticism on social media.

"Hyatt backtracked."

Hyatt general manager Michael Hooper, in an e-mailed statement on October 5, said this change will not be implemented "at this time."

Lee recalled that Imbert has publicly spoken about the benefits of a cashless society.

He called on Imbert to "come clean with this nation to tell us why Hyatt would want to charge citizens to have to pay with US dollars."

Lee said it is unfair for the hotel to be asking citizens to pay for its services, including meals, in foreign currency.

"Where we getting the US dollars to pay if we going to Hyatt and we work for TT dollars?"

Lee told the population to take note of this.

Referring to plans Persad-Bissessar promised to implement should the UNC win next year's general election, Lee said the party will fund these plans with revenue from the energy sector. He said the UNC will "restore the productivity of this nation's energy sector to return investment for the people of our nation."

Mohit said the PNM is fooling people into believing that it will create a digital economy that will benefit everyone.

She claimed the digital economy the PNM plans to create will make "access to critical services more difficult for individuals who are not within their political fold."

Mohit repeated statements by Persad-Bissessar about the PNM failing to protect children.

She said this was reflected by a post on Persad-Bissessar's Facebook page about a child who reportedly ended his life after being bullied.

Mohit supported Persad-Bissessar's view that government chose to spend more money on hosting functions, through increased expenditure on the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), instead of improving mechanisms to care for children.

At a PNM public meeting in Belmont on October 4, the Prime Minister rejected Persad-Bissessar's allegations of lavish expenditure at the OPM during his tenure.

Dr Rowley promised to reveal details about OPM expenditure, during his term and Persad-Bissessar's, when he contributes to the budget debate.