By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE national budget 2021/2022 has been passed in the House of Representatives.
The Appropriation (Financial Year 2022) Bill, 2021 was passed following a voting on Friday with 20 for, none against and 17 abstentions.
The abstentions came from the Opposition maintaining that that the “budget is a war against the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”
The 20 votes for the Budget were from the Government’s side.
The voting process came at the end of Standing Finance Committee stage of the Budget debate that lasted all week and the House is now adjourned until a date is set.
The Budget was read by Finance Minister Colm Imbert on October 4 and the debate kicked off on October 8 with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar stating that the ordinary citizen would suffer more as a result of its proposals.
This year’s budget is set at $52.4 billion with a deficit of $9 billion.
In a statement after the voting, Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition could not support “oppressive” proposals in the Budget.
She also said, “We are mindful that this budget also allocates funding for salaries for teachers, policemen and women, our healthcare workers, Covid-19 relief and other critical areas, and in this regard, we did not wish to register a “no” vote.”
The Budget debate now goes to the Senate on Monday.
