Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has accused the Government of blatant political discrimination in its allocation of development funding and is demanding that it publish the criteria used to determine how public money is distributed.
In a statement titled “Kamla’s Attack on T&T,” Beckles yesterday questioned whether reductions affecting People’s National Movement (PNM)-controlled municipal corporations were based on communities’ development needs or political considerations.
“If the Government insists that its decisions are based on development needs, objective criteria and the responsible use of public money, then it must publish those criteria and demonstrate how they were applied,” she said.
Beckles argued that residents should not face reduced access to infrastructure and development opportunities because of the political affiliation of their local representatives.
Her criticism comes as the 2027 Development Programme Estimates show that the combined allocation for the seven PNM-controlled corporations falls from $81.17 million originally provided for fiscal 2026 to $31.62 million, a reduction of $49.55 million, or 61 per cent.
The seven United National Congress-controlled corporations collectively receive $187.4 million, compared with $190.463 million originally allocated for fiscal 2026, representing a reduction of approximately 1.6 per cent.
Those figures cover corporation-specific development programmes under the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government. They exclude recurrent expenditure and projects financed separately through other ministries or programmes.
Beckles used a longer comparison in her statement, saying the PNM corporations’ combined development allocations had fallen from $129.3 million in fiscal 2025 to $31.62 million for fiscal 2027. She calculated that reduction at $97.68 million, or approximately 75.6 per cent, and highlighted Arima, whose allocation she said declined from $18.25 million in 2025 to $2.5 million in 2027.
Beckles said the reductions required a clear explanation of their implications for roads, schools, housing and other community infrastructure.
She also criticised what she described as declining investment in national development, citing a reduction in the Public Sector Investment Programme from $6.2 billion in 2024 to $4.1 billion in the 2026 allocation.
Housing funding, she said, had fallen from $1.285 billion in 2024 to $637 million in 2026.
“At a time when families are waiting for homes and communities are demanding better infrastructure, the Government must explain the implications of these reductions and how it intends to meet the country’s development needs,” she said.
Beckles further linked her concerns to the Government’s municipal boundary changes, alleging that communities were being moved into new municipalities through gerrymandering.
She questioned whether those areas would receive more favourable treatment under the new arrangements and called for safeguards against politically influenced funding decisions.
Beckles also criticised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s remarks about taxpayers supporting “indisciplined lazy persons,” arguing that residents should not bear the consequences of reduced community investment.
The expenditure estimates establish differences in allocations but do not explain the reasons for them or establish political motive.
Beckles maintained that the public was entitled to know why funding had been reduced and how Government would ensure fair distribution.
“The disparity demands a clear and credible explanation. The public must not be expected to accept these decisions without answers,” she said.
