Trinidad opposition boycott new budget as thousands protest

Trinidad PM and Finance               Opposition leader, Mr. Basdeo Panday
Minister, Mr. Patrick Manning

Tuesday, October 7, 2003

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad's opposition leaders were a no-show in Trinidad's Parliament yesterday as Prime Minister Patrick Manning presented his 2003/2004 budget to Parliament, the Associated Press reported last night.

Instead, several opposition members showed up in the islands' Magistrate's Court to bail out legislators, Messrs. Manohar Ramsaran and Hamza Rafeeq who, according to police, were leading a march of 2,000 Trinidadians through the central town of Chaguanas without a permit. Eight other people were arrested in what was reportedly a march against the rising crime levels in the twin-island Republic.

The opposition United National Congress party called the arrests politically motivated and boycotted the budget presentation.

Opposition leader, Mr. Basdeo Panday, condemned the detention, saying, "My supporters will not be treated as second-class citizens. Prime Minister Patrick Manning will have to fill the jail with all of us," AP quoted the UNC leader as saying.

Prime Minister Manning, who is also the island's Minister of Finance, in his two-hour budget presentation, outlined an 11-point plan to deal with crime and disclosed that a new "anti-crime unit" will be formed to conduct major investigations, according to AP. The Unit will reportedly be headed by commanding Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, Colonel Perter Joseph. 

The $22 billion (US$3.7 billion) budget proposal, which increases spending 10 percent from last year, also included new tax measures and job opportunities over the next year.

Mr. Manning, according to the Trinidad Express, announced that government will discontinue taxes on savings in local banks, increase the ceiling for persons who could qualify for old age pensions; increase disability grants and lower the age for persons to be eligible for such grants; increase public assistance payments and increase the amounts which will qualify for tax credits for support for sports, arts and culture.

Governments also announced increased spending in health and health care, housing, education, infrastructure development and social services delivery.

The PM, however, announced hefty increases in the fees for the operations of gaming houses, saying that this industry was proliferating in the country, particularly those using slot machines.

Debate on the budget is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m on Friday, 10th October, when the opposition says they will return to the House.

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