00:00Prime Minister Kamala Pasar-Basar tells TV6 News that every government, department or entity must be self-sufficient and responsible for supporting itself.
00:09In response to criticisms about the increase in fees for maxi-taxi drivers to use the priority bus route,
00:15the Prime Minister said why should a teacher from Mearu pay taxes to subsidize the maintenance or operation of the bus route when he doesn't use it?
00:23The Prime Minister then declared, if you use the bus route, you should pay for it, not someone else.
00:29TV6 News sought a response from Prime Minister Pasar-Basar to statements made by opposition leader Penelope Beckels who said the population has to ask
00:38what was the purpose of the budget read by the Finance Minister in October if the government in Hurwoods continues to make these excessive financial changes every month.
00:47A reference to what critics are describing as sudden, the government's very recent gazzeting of increases in fees for certain government services and traffic violation fines
00:59which are all to take effect next month, January 2026.
01:03Prime Minister Pasar-Basar said in response to the opposition leader, quote,
01:07all these changes were present first in the budget and second in the Finance Bill.
01:11I don't think she actually knows what's going on in parliamentary or legislative matters, end quote.
01:17The opposition leader said in her statement that, quote,
01:19the government has adopted a new policy of bleeding the pockets of the population in order to obtain revenue to run the country, end quote,
01:27as she also said they still have election promises to keep.
01:30Opposition leader Beckels said there is serious concern that these increased customs charges will be absorbed first by small and medium-sized enterprises
01:39and inevitably passed on to consumers, harming both businesses and households, suppressing demand, stifling growth,
01:48and potentially resulting in lower-than-higher revenue for the state.
01:52Prime Minister Pasar-Basar asked,
01:54why should a nurse pay taxes to subsidize customs fees for a businessman,
01:58before answering, if you are importing goods to sell to make a profit,
02:02you should pay the fees instead of someone else's taxes paying for it for you.
02:07The opposition leader said her party does not view the increase in birth and death registration fees as necessary or prudent,
02:13as taxing citizens at the moment of birth and death is neither a sustainable revenue strategy nor a responsible approach to economic management.
02:21In response, Prime Minister Pasar-Basar posed the question,
02:25why should a police officer from Paramin pay taxes to subsidize birth certificates when he has no children,
02:31before declaring, if you make children, you should pay to register them,
02:35why should someone else have to pay for your child?
02:40Prime Minister Pasar-Basar said each citizen's taxes should ideally be used to directly uplift and improve their lives.
02:47Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
