Kamla delivers an Economic Recovery Plan for Trinidad and Tobago: Imbert said nothing new

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP,

Today’s mid-year budget review presented by Finance Minister Colm Imbert came amid great expectations and like the four years of this Keith Rowley Government – it delivered nothing. In the face of this nothingness the Leader of the Opposition and Political Leader of the UNC unveiled part of the UNC’s Economic Recovery Plan for Trinidad and Tobago.

I came here today with expectation. Like most of the country, I wanted to hear what plans the Government had to improve our situation. But what we heard was more deflection, more distraction more incompetence.

The Minister completed his 4th midyear budget, and had all of 2016, 2017, and 2018 and half of 2019 to prove us wrong when we said they had no plan, but he had nothing to show once again.

As we get closer to the close of this Government’s term in office it has only become clearer to everyone that they do not know how to govern. What we saw today is a Government that thinks the politics of the past can help them as we move closer to elections.

That the Minister could stand here with his head held high and talk about turning around or whatever other alternate reality you have repeatedly tried create, shows clearly that they are delusional.

Under this Government’s watch not only are more people unemployed, but more also feel less secure in their jobs.

Under this Government’s watch, we have gone backwards where people now have to worry about the basics: water and roads.

Under this Government, we are not a population that can even think about the future, because we are all trying to survive today.

The economic collapse that Trinidad and Tobago is facing is a product of the mismanagement of this Keith Rowley administration.

They will continue to create any story and focus only on winning an election but what happens after they win? They have no idea how to govern.

But Trinidad and Tobago needs a real Government, real leadership, and a real, implementable plan, not some pie in the sky vision.

The UNC remains focused on good governance and will hit the ground running when we return to office and put our economy back on a path of growth and sustainable development.

Our National Economic Transformation Masterplan 2020-2025 lays out a wide-ranging suite of policy initiatives and programmes which we will pursue to get our people working again and working towards a better future.

Diversification is at the heart of our economic masterplan. We will encourage strategic investments in niche non-energy sectors where we have a strong competitive advantage, market opportunity and growth potential. These bold steps must be made now.

We have identified and singled out 12 prosperity engines spread across communities in Trinidad and in Tobago, which will mobilise and engage the private sector, both local and international, and their implementation will have large positive multiplier effects in kickstarting the economic recovery, fostering growth and supporting diversification.

After almost four years, Trinidad and Tobago is worse off under this PNM Government. The time has come for them to go, so that we can begin to rebuild and restore good governance to our nation.