00:00The finance minister's budget presentation has come under fire from the opposition,
00:05with its leaders questioning whether the measures outlined will deliver meaningful results for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
00:11Opposition leader Penelope Beckles says the presentation failed to provide sufficient detail on key areas,
00:18including housing, education, infrastructure and employment.
00:22She also questioned the government's ability to translate its employment promises into actual jobs.
00:28So our position is that this budget is empty.
00:32They talk about transforming the economy, but if you're talking about transforming the economy, what's your projects?
00:38The prime minister spoke this morning about employment, a bonanza.
00:46The fact is that, let us listen to the minister of finance, and you ask the question,
00:52Is there one project there that will convert into employment?
00:58When you look at the data from the Central Statistical Office, and even what they are providing,
01:04there is nothing that speaks to job creation.
01:09So you have the unemployment fund, you have the employment fund,
01:13but at the end of the day, absolutely nothing speaks about employment.
01:18Former finance minister Kalm Inbert has also questioned the level of economic detail provided in the budget.
01:25He says the presentation did not clearly outline the country's economic performance for fiscal 2026
01:31or provide projections for the upcoming fiscal year.
01:34Inbert also raised the concerns about the government's capital expenditure,
01:38arguing that more information was needed on projects completed and those planned for the future.
01:44I have never heard a budget speech where the economic situation of the country was not discussed, explained, no forecast.
01:56We don't know whether the economy grew or shrank in fiscal 2026.
02:02We don't know what the projections are for 2027.
02:05And on the energy sector, opposition MP and former energy minister,
02:10Stuart Young disputed the government's account of progress in the industry.
02:15Young argued that the initiatives highlighted in the budget were a continuation of work undertaken by the PNM.
02:21He also questioned the government's claim about the sector's performance,
02:25including its plan to restart the Petruchin refinery.
02:28But in the energy sector, there is nothing new.
02:31It is a set of false pretenses.
02:34The budget debate begins on Friday.
02:36Charlotte Kisto, TV6 News.
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