Caption: Prime Minister Stuart Young on his way on stage to the PNM political meeting on Harris Promenade in San Fernando on Wednesday. AZP News/Faith Edwards
By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRIME Minister Stuart Young is pledging to senior citizens that their pensions will not be decreased despite what the Opposition may say.
He made the pledge on Wednesday night while rolling out promises to the public should the People’s National Movement (PNM) continue in government for another five years.
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In addition to not touching senior citizens pensions, Young also promised that pensions to public servants will not be taxed.
Speaking to a massive crowd at Harris Promenade in San Fernando during a PNM public meeting, the PNM political leader pledged to double food card distribution and remove Value Added Tax (VAT) on school uniforms.
Those are the measures that can be implemented under a responsible PNM government, Young said and were decided on after intense meetings with the Minister of Finance.
He said, “They (the Opposition) talking about pensions. They are still terrorizing our senior citizens about pensions. Well I stand here tonight putting that conversation to rest. This PNM government and I pledge to you as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago leading a PNM government, we are not going to interfere with senior citizens pensions.”
“We are not touching it!” Young declared.
He continued, “We respect senior citizens in the PNM. We respect that senior citizens have contributed to Trinidad and Tobago and we care about our senior citizens and I want to say here tonight, we appreciate our senior citizens.”
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other United National Congress (UNC) members have repeatedly warned citizens that the PNM was planning to reduce old age pensions.
In laying out his proposed measures regarding pensions, Young said, “I am pleased to announce that all public service pensions, all retired public servants who receive a public service pension will now receive that tax free. No more tax on public service pension!”
He said the most vulnerable members in society were recipients of food cards from the government.
“This PNM government elected on the 28th of April, are going to double the food cards for Trinidad and Tobago,” Young promised.
He said, “We are going to take the pain elsewhere and immediately when we are elected, we are going to go to Parliament, we are going to get the money and we are going to double the food cards.”
And the final promise for the night: “This responsible PNM government is going to remove VAT on all school uniforms.”
Young said there was already no VAT on school books and through the Ministry of Education, there was no VAT on education facilities and by not having VAT for school uniforms, it was an additional measure to assist parents in giving their children a proper education.
