By Sue-Ann Wayow
TRINIDAD and Tobago has reached a place of Covid-19 crisis because of failure of the Government to protect borders and to act early to obtain the necessary vaccines.
This is according to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who listed out her plans to redeem the economy and livelihood on the day Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced a further lockdown of the country to curb the spread of Covid-19.
And she is also calling for a full audit of monies spent in Covid-19 relief.
Speaking at the United National Congress (UNC) virtual meeting on Monday, Persad-Bissessar once again reiterated that Dr Rowley mismanaged the entire pandemic issue and the only hope would be to remove his administration from office.
Amongst the plans Persad-Bissessar listed were the reduction of the tax burden, jumpstart food security, restart a reformed oil refinery to regain fuel security, invest in renewable energy and the creation of three innovative funds to mobilise financial resources.
Those plans were in place since May 2020 and now more than ever they needed to be implemented she said.
Persad-Bissessar said, “We are being governed by law not made in the Parliament but by announcements from press conferences. That is a dangerous thing.
“Tonight I want to tell Keith Rowley that the people of this country have their freedoms not as a gift from you, but as their rights as citizens. Dating back from Magna Carta so long ago. It is the PNM that is destroying our nation-not Covid-19. It is the PNM that is eating away at the soul of our nation like a malignant cancer.”
Persad-Bissessar said the new measures will only harm the economy more and failure to effectively protect the borders were contributing to the virus rapid spread. Many people were still complaining that they have not received relief grants from last year she added.
“We understand that there is a need to do everything possible to protect each other, to save lives and ensure we exit safely from this pandemic.
“However, those plans must encompass every aspect of our well-being from our economy to our human capital. When other countries instituted new lockdown measures they were accompanied with an economic plan to protect jobs, protect businesses and protect the economy.
“If we do not protect the economy, when we exit this pandemic, we will enter another a pandemic of economic turmoil.”
She asked Dr Rowley about his plans to prevent mass business closures.
“We are not saying do not lockdown or don’t take measures to protect our citizens but do it with a plan that protects people,” she said.
Government’s fiscal measures should include loan deferral schemes in coordination with the bankers’ association and the Central Bank, reduced bank rates for loans in place at the moment, a debt workout scheme for companies that are deemed to now fall below “bank risk” as a result of the deleterious effect of the pandemic and Value Added Tax (VAT) rebates.
Persad-Bissessar also advised citizens to not open their doors to police officers who did not have a warrant especially at a time when they could be impersonated by criminals.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s statements that the police could intervene on private property if they suspect breach of the Covid-19 regulations, Persad-Bissessar said his statements were disturbing.
And the Opposition Leader claimed that political interference was evident at certain institutions including the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Tax Appeal Court and the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR).
