Trinidad cannot afford to give Ja financial assistance-Bharath
Trinidad&Tobago’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning will provoke anger from the population should he lend assistance to Jamaica which is challenged by serious financial difficulties, says Opposition MP Vasant Bharath.
Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding in a televised address in that country spoke of Jamaica’s money troubles and issued a plea for assistance.
‘I think the people are going to get very angry if the prime minister lends assistance to Jamaica,’ said Bharath in an interview with the Trinidad Express newspaper.
He said this country already had a deficit and could not afford to lend money at this time.
‘We are going to be facing a significant issue with regard to servicing our debt,’ said Bharath.
According to recent figures on the inflation rates in the country, said Bharath, ‘there is very little stimulation of the economy. People are not spending money, loans are not being given. Therefore, I don’t think our economy has been given the necessary kickstart to be in a position to help anyone at all’.
He also took issue with any possible intent of Government to lend assistance to save cash-strapped Air Jamaica.
‘The issue with Air Jamaica, we brought this up in the Parliament about six months ago and the Prime Minister denied it and we see now that the backroom negotiations have been going on for quite some time. (The Prime Minister) likes to portray himself as the godfather of the Caribbean but we simply cannot afford it,’ Bharath said.
Last week, Golding flew to Trinidad and Tobago and held talks with Government ministers Dr Lenny Saith, Karen Nunez-Tesheira and Mariano Browne on a possible deal for Caribbean Airlines to acquire Air Jamaica.
Bharath said the problems of the country must first be attended to and then Caribbean neighbours can be looked after.
‘We have serious social issues in Trinidad and Tobago that are brewing because of the lack of infrastructure, drainage and flooding. People don’t have water. All sorts of issues, for example, the issue with the property tax where the Government wants to tax the population for its expenditure. All these pressing issues have the population uneasy,’ said Bharath.
