00:00The opposition is accusing government of attempting to reshape Trinidad and Tobago's political landscape in its favor,
00:08with opposition leader Penelope Beckles describing the move as a threat to democracy.
00:14Beckles is taking particular issue with plans to create three new municipal corporations
00:20questioning whether the proposed changes are designed to benefit UNC strongholds.
00:26The country currently has 14 municipal corporations, two cities, three borrowers, and nine regional corporations.
00:35The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government says reform of the system has long been contemplated,
00:43including boundary redefinition and greater autonomy for local authorities.
00:48But Beckles says the proposed expansion raises questions about proportionality and the allocation of resources.
00:56She says, quote,
00:58Perhaps the words rolling dictator have become synonymous with our prime minister
01:03when she proposes to gerrymander our constitution to bolster the UNC, end quote.
01:09Beckles is also questioning the political makeup of the proposed corporations,
01:14asking, quote,
01:15Imagine three new corporations all held by UNC MPs and traditionally regarded as UNC strongholds.
01:24To that I ask, where is the proportionality, end quote.
01:28The opposition leader says the proposal cannot be separated from concerns about funding for existing corporations.
01:35In Parliament last year, Beckles had already accused the government of cutting development allocations
01:42to PNM-controlled corporations while increasing allocations to UNC-controlled areas.
01:48And in April, a separate dispute emerged over the financial state of municipal corporations
01:54with local government minister Khadija Amin rejecting claims that the system was facing a fiscal crisis.
02:01Amin said the UNC government inherited corporations burdened with debt
02:05and accused some critics of political grandstanding.
02:10Beckles now warns that creating three additional corporations would place further pressure on the national purse,
02:16explaining, quote,
02:17Further, funding has been cut significantly in PNM areas since the 2025-2026 budget.
02:24When three new borrowers are introduced with new staff required
02:29and an overwhelming demand from residents for services,
02:33where will this additional funding come from, end quote.
02:37The opposition leader claims, quote,
02:38Clearly, PNM corporations will now be further starved of funds
02:42while government creates three unnecessary corporations, end quote.
02:47Beckles' comments come amid a broader series of accusations from the opposition
02:52that the UNC government is consolidating political power.
02:56Just last week, she accused the prime minister of laying the groundwork
03:00to reshape the independent bench,
03:03describing it as an attempt to consolidate political power.
03:07Allegations, the reports noted, were made without evidence.
03:12And now, over the proposed local government changes,
03:15Beckles is warning, quote,
03:16This has become unthinkable, unbelievable, and unacceptable, end quote.
03:21And she questions, quote,
03:23What lengths will they go to in order to steal an election
03:27and maintain their status quo, end quote.
03:30The government has yet to publicly respond specifically to Beckles' latest allegations,
03:35but the ministry responsible for local government has previously said
03:38reform is intended to improve governance, decentralization,
03:43community participation, and service delivery,
03:45and that proposals for boundary redefinition and restructuring
03:50form part of the longer-running local government reform agenda.
03:55Beckles, however, remains adamant that, quote,
03:58This government is out of control and hell-bent on creating a dictatorship
04:03in Trinidad and Tobago.
04:05This is not the Trinidad and Tobago I know, end quote.
04:10Ravishita Wari Ruknarein, TV6 News.
04:15Ravishita Wari Ruknarein, TV6 News.
