Would you believe that Colm Imbert is questioning the Central Statistical Office’s unemployment figures, arguing that they do not reflect what he believes were 22,000 job losses across CEPEP, URP and reforestation programmes?
Would you believe that during a PNM press conference, Imbert challenged the Finance Minister’s claim that 5,000 more people were employed? He alleged that the minister relied on outdated CSO information that did not capture recent employment conditions.
Would you believe that the affected workforce represents 11,000 CEPEP workers, 7,000 URP workers and 4,000 reforestation workers and Imbert is asking how come the unemployment rate had not risen following these retrenchments?
Would you believe Imbert is alleging that the replacement employment initiatives had provided work for no more than about 2,000 people? He alleged that reported job totals combined employment at different times rather than showing how many people were working simultaneously.
Would you believe that Imbert continued to accuse government MPs of failing to answer Opposition concerns about economic contraction, municipal development funding and WASA?
Would you believe that Imbert is urging the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to address the Opposition’s questions and explain their plans to improve economic conditions?
Would you believe during the budget debate, Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles accused government ministers of attacking women rather than addressing the Opposition’s concerns about the economy, employment and public services?
Would you believe that Beckles criticised remarks made by Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Phillip Watts about female parliamentarians’ private lives? She said his position made those comments particularly troubling because young people look to political leaders as examples.
Would you believe that Beckles is calling for a serious response to the Opposition’s recession concerns, citing a forecast 2.2 per cent economic contraction in 2026? She also questioned where the budget provided funding for the Government’s promised 20,000 jobs.
Would you believe that Beckles argued that ministers should account for how previous allocations were spent and explain how proposed funding would deliver results?
Would you believe that the Energy Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said he is finding it difficult to locate a signed English-language version of the fiscal metering agreement for the Dragon gas project?
Would you believe that during the budget debate, Moonilal said an agreement attached to a Cabinet submission in January 2024 was in Spanish and appeared to bear former energy minister Stuart Young’s signature? Dr Moonilal is questioning why the agreement had not been translated into English, verified and signed before being submitted to Cabinet.
Would you believe that the agreement governs how gas production is measured, including instrument specifications, calibration and inspectors’ access to platforms and measurement records? He argued that those provisions are critical to ensuring accurate accounting for gas volumes.
Would you believe that the UNC Government remains committed to Dragon and is working with Shell, the National Gas Company and Venezuelan authorities to advance the project towards a final investment decision?
Would you believe that the first gas was being targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027 or early 2028, and pledged that a new metering agreement would be signed in English?
Would you believe that on October 17, Roget made an announcement that the re-opening of the Point Fortin refinery would come soon? He did not identify a prospective operator or explain Patriotic’s proposed role.
Would you believe that Roget said the union remained confident that the refinery will be restarted safely for Trinidad and Tobago’s benefit?
Would you believe that Guaracara Refining Company Ltd Chairman Gowtam Maharaj is confident that the Government’s proposed consortium approach would welcome interested parties with relevant financial resources, technical expertise and other capabilities?
Would you believe that Dr Roodal Moonilal told Parliament on October 16 that the Government was working through committees and legal processes before selecting a preferred bidder or consortium?
Would you believe that Patriotic Energies is backed by the OWTU, which previously sought to acquire and operate the refinery but did not secure it under the former administration’s disposal process? To date the refinery has remained closed since November 2018.
Would you believe that in the 2027 Budget, there is a proposal of TT$60 million to continue repairs at the University of the West Indies’ South Campus in Debe, which missed its September 2026 opening target?
Would you believe that Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein said that additional defects discovered during repairs had increased the work required? He said the initial assessment had not captured the full extent of the deterioration.
Would you believe that Hosein, who announced the September target on March 19, is now saying the Government could not yet estimate the total repair cost? He said the final figure would be disclosed when the project was completed.
Would you believe that the 2026 original and revised estimates both listed TT$70 million? However, Hosein said that amount had not actually been spent during the financial year ending September 30, 2026.
Would you believe that the Former Finance Minister is questioning the 2026–2027 Budget, citing economic decline, falling business confidence and rising taxes?
Would you believe that the Opposition bench and former Finance Minister Colm Imbert issued a stark warning about Trinidad and Tobago’s economic outlook, declaring that the country could be heading towards a deeper economic crisis within the coming months?
Would you believe that Imbert criticised the budget presented by current Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, describing its projected figures as unrealistic and failing to reflect the financial hardships experienced by citizens and businesses?
Would you believe that Imbert argued that the economy was contracting, businesses were struggling, and the government had failed to introduce sufficient incentives to stimulate private-sector investment and economic growth?
Would you believe that during his presentation, Imbert cited figures he attributed to Ministry of Finance documents, including an estimated 2.2% decline in real GDP? He also highlighted reported contractions in several sectors, including petrochemicals, construction, energy, trade and accommodation services.
Would you believe Imbert accused the UNC-led administration of imposing at least 70 new or increased taxes and fees between May 2025 and September 2026?
