Indarsingh: Groundwork set for retrenchment

At that meeting, Rowley said government has a policy of trying to maintain employment levels despite fluctuating energy prices. Rowley said that compared to $30 billion borrowed between 2010 and 2015, “during a time of economic plenty”, he pointed out that his government’s borrowing of $12 billion and retention of jobs are a sign of government’s competence.

“The question is, how long can we do that if revenues continue to decline? I leave that with you,” Rowley said on Tuesday. Responding to this yesterday, Indarsingh who is the Opposition’s shadow labour minister, said Rowley’s statements was an admission that government had no plan to grow the economy and is focused on cutting expenditure and raising taxes.

“The prime minister used this conversation with the citizens at the Point Fortin constituency to lay the foundation for the dismissal of all the workers at BIR and Customs and Excise. You are looking at 3,000 people and up till today no one knows when the TT Revenue Authority will be implemented,” Indarsingh said.

“These workers, who are represented by the PSA, do not know what would be the size of the Revenue Authority, whether they will be rehired, under what terms and conditions, whether unionised, whether they could have their years of service, their pensions transferred.”