00:00In a political salvo responding to a statement issued by the Prime Minister on Sunday,
00:05opposition leader Penelope Becclese said on Monday that, quote,
00:08it therefore can only be assumed that her reference to Trinidad and Tobago has become a lawless dump
00:15is a description as the amalgamation of characters who have found themselves in her current government, end quote.
00:22In response to TV6 News' request for comment, Prime Minister Calma Passat-Bessessa stood her ground and said, quote,
00:29the country is a lawless dump and everyone contributed to it. That's the truth, end quote.
00:35The Prime Minister said that if the PNM believes that the country is not a lawless dump, that's okay with her.
00:41The leader of the UNC further said that the PNM has never cared about their own supporters.
00:46Prime Minister Passat-Bessessa then said, quote,
00:49a simple example is that the Port of Spain and Digo Martin corporations have funds to pick up garbage in certain special areas
00:56but leave the garbage to pile up in the streets in their supporters' areas.
01:01That's the PNM for you, hateful to their own people, end quote.
01:06The Prime Minister declared that hardcore PNM constituencies have the highest murder and crime rates,
01:12highest unemployment, poorest infrastructure, and worst educational facilities and outcomes.
01:17Prime Minister Passat-Bessessa said that she does not want any constituency to be like that
01:22and will do everything possible to uplift UNC and PNM supporters and all law-abiding citizens to make their lives better.
01:29Prime Minister Passat-Bessessa said if the PNM has no ambition for their supporters, so be it.
01:33The Prime Minister said she wants the best for UNC supporters and law-abiding citizens.
01:39The opposition leader called on citizens, whether they are UNC or PNM,
01:42to brace themselves for economic hardship, as she said taxation seems to be the government's theme for 2026.
01:50Opposition leader Beckles says that what she called the Prime Minister's petty attempts to attack her will not work.
01:57The leader of the PNM said the real and only embarrassment is what she called the Prime Minister's irrational position taken on CARICOM,
02:05which is likely to cost the country billions of dollars in revenue.
02:09And in response to the Prime Minister's reference to the budget debate in October,
02:12opposition leader Beckles said the PNM takes issue with the exorbitant increase in alcohol prices,
02:18the rise in customs taxes, higher birth and death registration fees,
02:22punitive traffic fines, and the hikes in NIS contributions.
02:26The opposition leader expressed concerns that these measures will adversely affect the standard of living,
02:32weaken our economy, and fundamentally alter Trinidad and Tobago as we know it.
02:37Prime Minister Passat-Bessessa said that you cannot fix the problems in the country
02:41if you don't face the reality and say this is broken, that is dysfunctional,
02:46and we need to make changes to improve.
02:49Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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