00:00In five years' time, Mr. President, I envision that people have to get visas to come here. That's our plan.
00:09The boost of confidence in the Senate on Tuesday by Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister Satya Karma Maraj within his first two months on the job.
00:18Speaking right after Minister Maraj was Opposition Senator Melanie Roberts Rajman.
00:22And you're telling me, we're sitting in this esteemed house and we're saying that in order to spite a handful of alleged PNM contractors,
00:31this government was willing to strip 10,000 vulnerable workers of their employment,
00:37deprive 10,000 families of food on their table, spite the crime rate, and of course, most relevant to today's debate,
00:45shock an already delicate economy by destroying disposable income of 10,000 families.
00:54Minister Maraj spoke about the impact on the economy by the closure of the state-owned oil refinery
00:59by the former PNM-led government before outlining his optimistic plan for future revenue earnings.
01:07But let me tell you, after oil and gas, Mr. President, the next biggest thing we have in this country
01:15is Trinidad Carnival. And I have met, been meeting with a multinational agency.
01:25Because, you know, in Carnival, all the hotels book up next year already.
01:29You can't get price out of the book already. If we can create that same environment, that same opportunity
01:39all year, all year round, oil and gas could be secondary to this economy.
01:47As for the details...
01:49And I cannot, I cannot reveal it. I cannot reveal it as yet. It's still in the formative stages.
01:55But we have a project that is going to be as transformational as the development of the Point Lisa's industrial estate
02:05when I introduce that. We are going to transform this economy beyond oil and gas
02:11with tourism, investment and trade.
02:17Minister Maraj mentioned his bold plan as he also spoke about what he called
02:22the fragmentation of the private sector, as he made reference to the former PNM administration.
02:28Siloed, splintered, and lacking unified representation.
02:35Their collective potential has been emerged.
02:38And neither the previous administration, nor possibly private sector, it seems,
02:43have recognized the economic cost of this division.
02:46In many cases, businesses and investors are not seen as partners in nation building.
02:52But are treated as burdens, or worse, as barriers.
02:57This is not just inefficient, it is unacceptable.
03:01Opposition Senator Roberts-Rajman defended the record of the former PNM-led government.
03:06So let's talk a little bit about our entrepreneurs.
03:09$20,000 grant for young entrepreneurs.
03:12And let's go further with that.
03:16$300 million was allocated to FCB to provide low-interest loans to small and medium businesses.
03:24Loans 100% guaranteed by the government, the then PNM-led government.
03:30The Senate examined the supplementary appropriation of $3.14 billion to the 2025 budget,
03:36which was passed via the government's majority.
03:39Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:42Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:43Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:44Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:45Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:46Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:47Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:48Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:49Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:50Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:51Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:52Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:53Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:54Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:55Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:56Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:57Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:58Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
03:59Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
04:00Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
04:01Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
04:02Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
04:03Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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