Click to view full size

Mr Speak­er, I am ho­n­oured to de­liv­er the UNC’s in­au­gur­al Bud­get.

On April 28, 2025, the peo­ple of Trinidad and To­ba­go, by their col­lec­tive ac­tion, gave this UNC Gov­ern­ment a re­sound­ing man­date to re­store good gov­er­nance, re­build our econ­o­my and im­prove the lives of every cit­i­zen across our beloved na­tion. They asked for sin­cer­i­ty and com­pas­sion in gov­ern­ment. They asked for a cred­i­ble plan to move Trinidad and To­ba­go for­ward. They asked for jobs, growth, pros­per­i­ty and so­cial peace. It is there­fore a pro­found priv­i­lege to present the 2026 Bud­get to this Ho­n­ourable House.

I ex­tend my heart­felt thanks to the Ho­n­ourable Kam­la Per­sad-Bisses­sar, our es­teemed Prime Min­is­ter, for the op­por­tu­ni­ty to serve and guide the fis­cal af­fairs of Trinidad and To­ba­go. Sin­cere thanks to the ded­i­cat­ed staff of the Min­istry of Fi­nance, my Cab­i­net col­leagues, the Min­istries and State Agen­cies and our part­ners in the pri­vate sec­tor and civ­il so­ci­ety. Most im­por­tant­ly, thanks to the peo­ple of Trinidad and To­ba­go who par­tic­i­pat­ed in our bud­get con­sul­ta­tions: your voic­es have been heard. This Bud­get is a prod­uct of na­tion­al ef­fort, and it be­longs to all of us. Fi­nal­ly, thanks al­so to my con­stituents of Fyz­abad who vot­ed to give me my seat here in Par­lia­ment.