Senior Political Reporter
The United National Congress (UNC) Government has been weak on economic performance and provision of safety, and it urgently needs to confront key economic issues seriously in Parliament’s upcoming Second Session, says former UNC minister Vasant Bharath.
In a statement on Government’s performance in its First Session of the Parliament, which comes to an end on Friday, Bharath said, “The clear verdict now—even amongst loyal UNC supporters, isn’t simply that Government has underperformed. There’s recognition that the administration is overwhelmed and ill-equipped to handle the job and provide solutions they campaigned on.
“If citizens begin concluding that promised solutions never truly existed, then public disappointment will harden into something much more dangerous politically, resulting in disillusionment and a public mood that risks turning more volatile over time,” he said.
The First Session of the five-year term was launched on May 23, 2025, after the UNC won the April 2025 general election. The session will end and be prorogued on Friday. The Senate meets tomorrow morning and the House of Representatives on Friday. The Second Session will be launched the following week, officials said. Sittings continue into July, when Parliament’s annual recess is expected.
Bharath said after its First Session, the Government increasingly looks like an administration confusing opposition rhetoric with actual governing capacity. He warned that the handling of the Mid-Year Review upcoming in the Second Session will be key.
“The party campaigned as though possessing a detailed blueprint to rescue T&T from crime, economic stagnation, institutional decay and political mistrust. After its First Session, the Government lays exposed: not merely for an absence of policy, but one of discipline, coherence, and competence,” Bharath said.
“T&T’s deep structural crises of violent crime, fiscal pressure, foreign exchange shortages, declining productivity, institutional corruption and youth disillusionment were never going to disappear in a year.
“But after ten years in Opposition, the UNC sold itself as uniquely prepared to solve them quickly, promising urgency, expertise and a ‘ready team’. Instead, citizens see chaos, cronyism, collusion and an administration incapable of delivering promised transformation.”
He said crime remains the clearest symbol of the UNC’s failure.
“UNC promised citizens will feel safe, yet insecurity’s a daily reality. Loss of trust in judicial systems and the police service is at an all-time low and respective issues remain. Government’s response depends on press releases, social media distractions and dramatic language but is weak on institutional reform, more often transactional and reactive rather than strategic. Policies and messaging changes constantly. Ministers frequently contradict one another,” he said.
Bharath said economically, Government is trapped by its campaign promises.
“The UNC undoubtedly inherited a difficult fiscal environment but campaigned irresponsibly, implying rapid restoration of growth and stability, new jobs, grand projects and no new taxes. Now, the economy still lacks convincing direction. There’s clearly no plan.
“Thousands were sent home. Hundreds of businesses are on the brink of collapse. There’s no transformative diversification strategy beyond the ‘pie in the sky’ increase in non-energy revenue rhetoric, no visible productivity revolution, meaningful state restructuring or compelling investment narrative apart from an AI- generated Revitalisation plan.”
He added, “Allegations are emerging on politically connected appointments, insider influence and questionable procurement decisions. More alarming is outlandish language and increasingly confrontational, bullying and erratic political style—particularly from the Prime Minister.”
After creating a hostile business environment and making unsubstantiated allegations against Independent Senators, Bharath said the PM’s attacks on Caricom have become a major turning point in how the Government is perceived regionally and domestically.
“Rather than projecting stability and diplomatic maturity, the Prime Minister launched an astonishingly reckless and bizarre assault on one of the Caribbean’s most important institutions, alienating allies and undermining regional unity. Her ‘expel-us’ outburst highlights extraordinary political self-sabotage for T&T, demonstrating ignorance and basic lack of understanding of the financial costs involved: decades of local manufacturers’ hard work, building Caricom markets and thousands of T&T jobs relying on that.”
Consequently, Bharath said, it’s urgent that T&T’s fiscal reality be confronted seriously.
“They made expansive, irresponsible promises and will now have to choose between reduced spending, increased borrowing, raising taxes, or abandoning their promises,” Bharath said.
“There’s no new investment from South America, the Middle East or India. Institutional decay cannot be reversed through rhetoric. T&T’s problems require technocratic discipline, long-term planning and institutional reform. But they appear trapped in perpetual political combat. Instead of building national consensus, Government often behaves like an opposition movement still campaigning.
He added, “Ministers get into social media battles, partisan rhetoric and irrelevant controversies while citizens struggle with crime, prices, unemployment, traffic woes, healthcare pressures and economic anxiety. After only a year, Government’s credibility is eroding rapidly. Once the public stops believing promises will materialise, governing becomes harder—announcements will be met with scepticism, scandals reinforcing cynicism.”
