Independent Senator Alicia Pauline Lalite-Ettienne has raised concerns about the accessibility of documents accompanying Trinidad and Tobago’s 2027 National Budget, revealing that her screen-reading software struggled to process material it repeatedly identified as AI-generated.
Speaking during the Senate’s Budget debate on Monday, October 26, the visually impaired senator explained that the difficulties prevented her from independently reviewing portions of the documents and conducting the research necessary for her parliamentary contribution.
According to Lalite-Ettienne, staff at the Senate Secretariat and Parliament’s Information Technology Department spent considerable time trying to make the documents accessible. Although she commended their assistance, the delays forced her to narrow the scope of her presentation.
The issue prompted an intervention from Senator Darrel Allahar, who cautioned against leaving the impression that the entire Budget had been prepared using artificial intelligence.
Lalite-Ettienne clarified that her screen reader had identified nearly all the accompanying documents she received, apart from the Finance Minister’s final statement, as AI-generated. She offered to demonstrate what the software was reporting.
However, the software’s identification does not independently establish that the documents were created using AI.
The senator stressed that she was not accusing the Government of deliberately excluding persons with disabilities. Instead, she questioned whether sufficient attention was being given to accessibility as Trinidad and Tobago expands its use of artificial intelligence and digital services.
She also called for persons with disabilities to be included in the Government’s proposed AI training programmes and digital initiatives for 2027.
Her contribution raises a broader question about national digital transformation: What good is technological progress if the people who depend on accessible technology cannot use it?
The senator’s concerns highlight the importance of ensuring that government documents, digital platforms and emerging technologies can be used independently by all citizens, including those who rely on assistive technology.
The exchange was reported by the Trinidad Guardian, while Parliament’s official record confirms Lalite-Ettienne’s participation in the October 26 Budget debate.
