Manning declares war on kidnappers

While he targetted gas and gambling for increases in taxes, Prime Minister Patrick Manning vigorously tackled crime, gave generously to the disadvantaged and disabled and outlined a plan yesterday for the development of the physical infrastructure of the country in his $22.3 billion Budget.

The sting in the tail of his 2004 Budget is the increase in NIS contributions, to fund the hike in NIS retirement pensions to $1,000. All the Minister of Finance would say yesterday was that the increase in contributions would be spread over a three-year period beginning January 5, 2004. The most significant of the crime initiatives, announced in the 2004 Budget presented to Parliament yesterday, was  the establishment of a new specialised fleet, “A Special Crime Fighting Unit,” under the now — Brigadier Peter Joseph, which would draw on any expertise in the country. The Prime Minister also announced that tax credits would be given to persons in business and in sensitive positions who install security systems for the protection of themselves and their families. And, he stated, banks have been “mandated” to set up “security systems” to prevent unauthorised access to accounts.

The Budget also brought an “immediate” increase in gas prices all around. The Finance Minister proposals for the complete phasing out of leaded gasoline by April 1, 2004, involves the replacement of Super gas with a new grade of unleaded gasoline- 92 Ron- and an increase in price from $2.45 per litre to $2.70 per litre in the process. The price of the existing unleaded gas (95 Ron) has been raised from $2.85 to $3.00 per litre. The price of kerosene also went up, in order to discourage owners of diesel vehicles from continuing the practice of mixing the two grades. They would now be the same price — $1.50 per litre. But even more worrisome than the price increase for motorists, is the possibility that some older vehicles would not be able to work properly with the unleaded gas. While the Finance Minister dug deeply in the pockets of gamblers, he filled the pockets of the pensioners, the poor and the differently disabled. Pensioners got an increase in personal allowance from $30,000 to $40,000. Not only was the disability grant raised from $600 to $650, but the Government has tremendously broadened the qualifying group, which moves from citizens between 40 and 60 years to persons between 18 and 60 years. Manning announced the expansion of social programmes such as CEPEP ($225 million), URP ($200 million), community projects in La Horqueta, Maloney, San Juan, and Laventille ($50 million) and a reforestation programme ($50 million).

In an effort to encourage savings, the Prime Minister  announced the removal the 5 percent tax on income interest. When Manning pointed out that resident individuals who earn “income from foreign bank accounts” would benefit from the measure, his colleagues shouted: “Panday!” Panday however could not reply to the taunt because the Opposition for the first time in history missed the Budget presentation as it boycotted the sitting in protest of the arrest of Manohar Ramsaran and Hamza Rafeeq. Manning said he regretted that the Opposition did not come to the Parliament but “by no means” did they upstage his Budget presentation. “Whether they come or they don’t come, we press on. We knew they weren’t going to come a long time ago,” he said. adding “when the Parliament is called who is there is there, who is not there, is not there.”  He said that “while we understand demonstration as a legitimate method of expressing sentiments in a democratic society we just wouldn’t tolerate civil disobedience. The Police were doing their job and it is for a Court to decide.” On the think tank comprising three former national security ministers, Manning stressed it was an advisory body and didn’t mean a reduced role for National Security Minister, Howard Chin Lee.

Chin Lee, in commenting on Government’s crime initiatives, said Government was providing all the resources and specialised training for the Special Crime Unit. “The objective is to build on the intelligence side of the kidnapping scourge — finding out who and where they are...and finding out what we need to know and do about the people who are terrorising the community”, not only in the area of kidnapping but murder, drug trafficking and other crimes. The Prime Minister also announced a series of national service programmes and military led training programmes under the Ministry of National Security for the youths who drop out of school early, and for those who do not obtain a full certificate. Manning, in reviewing the performance of the economy, conceded that the unemployment figures went up as a result of the restructuring of Caroni Limited (which led to the VSEP of 9,000 workers. He also admitted that the Public Debt rose by $2.3 billion during this year, of which ($1.2 billion resulted from the Caroni restructuring). He also stated that Government had received a proposal from an engineering company based in France to construct a bridge between Trinidad and Tobago. He also announced that Government planned to establish a new company to drive its housing programme, leaving NHA to serve as a property management and maintenance body. The Budget, entitled: “Charting the Course to 2020” is predicated on an oil price of US $25 a barrel. The debate continues on Friday at 10 am when Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday gives his Budget response.