Scores of protesters around the Parliament yesterday had a certain clear message repeated on a number of their placards.
"Tax the Benz–not us!" and "We didn't vote for you to savage our survival!"
Seven (or eight) months ago the large number of red-clad protesters might have been mistaken for PNM members demonstrating against the then PP administration. But yesterday's protesting casino workers were up in arms with the PNM Government.
And after 4.30 pm, following Finance Minister Colm Imbert's delivery of his mid-year review–hereafter known as Budget part 2–some of the sentiments of their placards might be echoed throughout other parts of the community.
Dismissed minister Marlene McDonald who turned up for yesterday's Parliament session couldn't distract from Imbert's spotlighted statement, even as she received a few very brief greetings from a handful of PNM colleagues (save MP Terrence Deyalsingh who came over and kissed her.)
Nor could Prime Minister Keith Rowley upstage his "best man" as Rowley replied to 18 Opposition questions–and fended off stiff Opposition grilling on his office's purchase of a $900,000 Mercedes Benz vehicle for him–prior to Imbert's 90-minute delivery.
The length and format of Imbert's review–which put the Opposition leader on the spot of having to reply to him for a corresponding 90 minutes–had not been anticipated or communicated to the Opposition which cried foul.
"....Ambush!" protested, Opposition whip, Ganga Singh.
Following moments of loud objection, Imbert pushed off, with the "bad news" first–a series of revenue-raising measures designed to halt the haemorrhage of foreign exchange, and rev up revenue streams.
The impact of Imbert's October 2016 Budget measures–apart from an initial gas price hike–came mainly from the backlash of its new VAT regime with complaints from poor and middle class public on rising prices and profiteering by unscrupulous businesses. Something which hasn't helped its political image.
Apart from another gas price hike, Imbert's Budget Pt 2 has now targeted high-enders with taxes in certain areas from online purchases to luxury vehicles and the Budgetary staple, cigarette/alcohol tax.
"....We must now cut our cloth to suit our measure. We can longer operate, as the locals say, with champagne taste and mauby pocket," Imbert declared, still holding up the IMF "bogey," despite a respectable review from the entity.
While the population has obtained a small "breather" before implementation of the property tax next year, and Imbert has given clear confirmation that the mass transit system is off the table as "we simply cannot afford to proceed with this project at this time," his plans for the fuel subsidy removal will generate debate for some time regarding possible repercussions
How Imbert's planned rationalisation of Cepep and URP will be done, however, remains to unfold. The private sector which has long complained that such social programmes have deprived the labour market of human resources, will likely welcome the positions that Cepep support will be reduced over time and that URP will be restructured.
It may send some concerns through PNM ground support which has in the last two months been clamouring for URP jobs–a call well felt by a PNM executive team recently meeting "troops."
But Imbert's announcement on restructuring–URP particularly–will likely see reformatting being done with a view to meet PNMites' calls for work–but with firm direction of where Government wants URP to go and produce.
His statements on the "extremely poor administration of the betting and gaming taxes" and other aspects of that sectors have also signalled a tough road for that industry, plus further tightening of tax administration systems and changes for GATE following review.
As MPs buckled down to marathon debate, expected to last into early this morning–Parliament officials estimated–the Opposition's replies will also be shared with the public via UNC's Monday Night Forum next week (in Preysal).
Imbert had noted in his address that the situation "involves spreading the burden of adjustment across the society."
Hopefully, that will not include the burden of further Benzes. No matter how prudent Government is being and particularly because the public is also being asked to be the same.