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OPPOSITION Leader Penelope Beckles has accused Prime Minister Kamla Persad‑Bissessar of betraying campaign promises and using “punitive fines” as a revenue grab.

In a statement on her social media platforms, Beckles said the PM has “misunderstood the purpose of demerit points” and is attempting to “gaslight the population” by framing citizens as lawless.

She argued that the government misled the nation in the 2025/26 budget by projecting oil prices at US$70 per barrel when global prices are closer to US$56, leaving a revenue shortfall now being filled through “excessive taxation, punitive fines and intimidation.”