PRIME MINISTER RESPONDS TO BECKLES

The  Prime Minister is doubling down on her government's decision to increase the fines for road traffic offences.   Alicia Boucher has the details.

Transcript

00:00Prime Minister Kamala Passat-Bissessa is taking opposition leader Penelope Beckles to task.

00:05She is unapologetic about her government's increase in road traffic fines

00:09and indicates that there will be no reversal of these fines.

00:13Passat-Bissessa says, quote,

00:14Any citizen is free to drive recklessly, smoke ganja, drink rum, gamble, misbehave,

00:20mash up the place, play loud music, and live however they want.

00:24I have no problem with their personal choices once they accept the consequences of their choices.

00:28But I will run this country to the benefit of law-abiding citizens who want to improve their lives, their children's lives, end quote.

00:37The Prime Minister is of the view that law-abiding citizens have been disadvantaged for a long time.

00:42On Sunday, Beckles called for a reversal of the amendments to increase the fines.

00:47Passat-Bissessa says those measures were presented in the budget as well as the finance bill,

00:53contrary to what was stated by PNM Chairman Marvin Gonzalez on Saturday.

00:57Well, according to the Prime Minister, the PNM is leading its supporters down a wrong road

01:01as she once again takes aim at the opposition leader, saying, quote,

01:05I was shocked when the first thing their leader spoke of in the budget was the price of rum.

01:10Is that what she believes is important to PNM supporters and citizens

01:14instead of health care, education, security, and sustainable jobs? End quote.

01:19But Passat-Bissessa has gone further to say, quote,

01:22The PNM has supported giving ganja to young people instead of laptops,

01:27encouraged rum drinking and gambling,

01:29defended Venezuelan human traffickers and drug smugglers,

01:33fought against citizens defending themselves in their own homes. End quote.

01:38The Prime Minister accuses the PNM of believing that citizens want to be grass cutters and road sweepers

01:43instead of having sustainable jobs in order to afford decent homes and a decent life.

01:49She says PNM MPs do not want that for their children and their families,

01:53but support it for citizens.

01:55Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.