00:00That supplementary bill that will be coming is to ask for more money, $2.93 billion in supplementation to meet
00:11the bills of Trinidad and Tobago in this fiscal year, 2526.
00:15Prime Minister Kamala Pesad besets his announcement in the House of Representatives as the nation had been waiting on any
00:22details about the mid-year review of the government's budget by the parliament.
00:26Out of that $2.93 billion that we are asking for, $2.83 billion is recurrent and it will apply
00:36to the new wages and salaries that we have been paying.
00:39I already told you over 60,000 persons are getting increased salaries and so we have to find the money.
00:46Find the money for these increased salaries.
00:52The Prime Minister provided those details as she made reference to collective agreements settled between the Chief Personal Officer and
01:00the trade unions in the public sector as well as the CPO and the Defence Force.
01:05They are, Mr. Speaker, PSA, about 18,000 workers.
01:12NUGFW, 20,000 workers.
01:16Teachers, 15,000 workers.
01:19TT Defence Force, 6,000.
01:22Amalgamated Contractors Union, I think, amalgamated, 1,500 workers.
01:29Contractors Workers Union, 900.
01:31We got 850.
01:33Under my government, the UNC government, I repeat, today, 62,050 workers about are receiving higher salaries.
01:45The Prime Minister made her announcements as she delivered a statement at the beginning of the second session of the
01:5213th Parliament.
01:52Next week, sorry, we will return to this House to present a mid-year review and supplementary appropriation.
02:00So this House will return, Mr. Speaker, subject to the standing orders.
02:06We will return next Wednesday when the Finance Bill 2026 will be debated.
02:13That bill is to give effect to measures that were announced in the 2025-26 budget.
02:19Prime Minister Pasal Besasa then said that thereafter, the Parliament's Standing Finance Committee will be convened next Friday.
02:27So Wednesday 1st for the Finance Bill, and that will be convened at about 10.30 a.m.
02:34Then on Friday for the Standing Finance Committee at 1.30 p.m.
02:39and thereafter in the following week for debate on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill variation and Supplementation.
02:46Leader of the House, Barry Padrath, the Minister of Public Utilities later spoke on the matter.
02:51Mr. Speaker, for the avoidance of doubt and for clarity, I will just refer to the dates once more.
03:00Wednesday 10th, June, at 10.30 a.m., the House will sit to pursue the Finance Bill and other matters.
03:11On Friday, June 12th at 1.30 p.m., the Standing Finance Committee of the Parliament will meet.
03:18And on Monday, June 15th at 10.30 a.m., the Mid-Year Review will be conducted.
03:27In a statement, the Finance Ministry said the 2026 Finance Bill continues to address a number of significant areas of
03:35government policy,
03:37including amendments to the landlord business surcharge.
03:40And the Ministry said that additionally, in keeping with the government's fight against crime,
03:46the bill also seeks to strengthen criminal penalties across a wide cross-section of offences.
03:54Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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