Kamla’s budget

IT WAS always going to be a deeply political budget, coming months after the April 28 general election and serving as the opening fiscal salvo of the second Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration. Davendranath Tancoo’s “everybody wins” refrain, which referenced the UNC’s campaign slogan, heightened the annual fiscal presentation.

To listen to him on October 13 was to hear both an economic roadmap and a victory lap. But not only in terms of rhetoric was there a tie with the art of persuasion; the Prime Minister’s fingerprints are all over the budget’s measures in ways that sharply bring into focus, even at this stage, her legacy. It was Mr Tancoo’s presentation. Yet, Ms Persad-Bissessar, whose festive garb set her apart in the House this week, is the authorial force, as repeatedly acknowledged by him with each major announcement. In realpolitik terms, it was her budget.

“Fairness requires that everyone plays their part,” the UNC leader said moments after Mr Tancoo’s speech, declaring the fiscal measures to be about equality and accountability. But that is not the only relevant rubric. In fulfilling several campaign promises, such as the public servant pay increase, Ms Persad-Bissessar deepens the social contract between herself and citizens while shoring up alliances that have taken her party beyond its usual moorings. Keeping promises also closes down a line of attack for the PNM and places the opposition party on the backfoot over its own record.

A contrast can be drawn between the current government and the Keith Rowley administration. Colm Imbert was the face of PNM fiscal management, even if he was serving at the pleasure of Dr Rowley. But a distinction could also be drawn between Kamla 2.0 and Kamla 1.0, which saw Ms Persad-Bissessar allow figures like Winston Dookeran and Larry Howai defend measures frontally.

Symbolising the heightened centrality of the PM is the budget’s establishment of a financial oversight and appropriations committee chaired by her, in which Mr Tancoo is the deputy. This comes after a reshuffle of ministerial allocations which sees the Office of the Prime Minister take on more responsibility. The budget’s belt-loosening measures will only burnish the UNC leader’s popularity. The historic Tobago allocation also has implications along these lines.

However, Ms Persad-Bissessar, 73, has her eyes on the audience both at home and abroad.

Mr Tancoo’s acknowledgement of Donald Trump in his speech was unprecedented. The budget theme, “TT First,” was an echo of “America First;” the targeting of electric vehicles Trumpian. In the mix, too, was Narendra Modi. The PM’s stirring speech before diplomats at Siparia Divali celebrations days prior, in which she pledged “to go to war” for citizens, presaged these connections between the fiscal and the geopolitical. At stake for her is not just the future of the country’s monetary affairs, but also her own engagement with history.