Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has presented a message of reassurance ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s national budget, saying her Government intends to focus on employment, investment, public safety and improvements in citizens’ quality of life.
In an interview with the Sunday Express published on October 11, Persad-Bissessar acknowledged that the population wanted a significant improvement in the country’s circumstances but said rebuilding would take time. She maintained that the administration was working to stabilise the country and implement its policy commitments.
The budget, which Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo is scheduled to present on October 12, will be the second national budget of the United National Congress-led Government since it took office following the April 28, 2025 general election, according to the newspaper’s report.
Persad-Bissessar said the administration wanted national development to translate into practical improvements for households. She identified jobs, financial security and opportunities for younger generations as priorities, arguing that the success of a budget should be measured by whether citizens experience benefits in their daily lives rather than by the number of projects or investments announced.
The Prime Minister also said the Government had made progress on commitments contained in the UNC’s election manifesto, which she said had subsequently been adopted as Government policy. She identified employment, investment, economic diversification and stronger public institutions as areas for the next phase of development.
Her comments come as the Government prepares to outline its spending and policy priorities for the coming fiscal period. The interview did not provide the budget’s full financial details, including specific allocations, revenue projections or tax measures. Those details are expected to be addressed through the Finance Minister’s presentation rather than inferred from the Prime Minister’s advance remarks.
National security was another major theme in Persad-Bissessar’s assessment. She argued that restoring safety was essential to economic recovery and said crime and unemployment had been among the principal concerns raised by citizens during the 2025 election campaign.
The Prime Minister cited 625 murders recorded in Trinidad and Tobago in 2024, describing that period as one of the country’s darkest. She maintained that criminal activity can undermine investor confidence and discourage businesses from expanding, and said her administration had prioritised dismantling criminal networks and strengthening law enforcement.
Her claims that the country is becoming safer and that the Government’s approach is restoring stability were presented as her assessment in the interview. The excerpt did not include independent crime statistics establishing the extent of any subsequent change.
Persad-Bissessar said citizens wanted reassurance that their work would lead to better living standards and that their families would have opportunities in the future. The practical test of the budget, she argued, would be whether its measures deliver results for the population. The Finance Minister’s presentation is the next opportunity for the Government to set out the detailed policies and financial commitments behind those assurances.
