Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is assuring squatters that within 30 days of her second term, she will bring back the long-anticipated State Land (Regularisation of Tenure) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2015, to Parliament.
Speaking to thousands of supporters at Paraiso Event Centre, Claxton Bay, on Friday night, Persad-Bissessar said she did not forget the squatters whom she had promised security of tenure.
The bill was one of four which could not be debated on Tuesday as the Senate ran out of time. However, Persad-Bissessar said regularising squatters remained one of her government’s top priorities. Saying five years was not enough time to get all that she wanted done, Persad-Bissessar rallied her foot soldiers to help her get back into power for a second term.
“We must spend time creating a future together and we must talk about that future. Tonight, I commit to you we will continue the infrastructure development of all of T&T. We will continue to improve the healthcare system, education system and above all, we will make sure there is equality of treatment to all,” she said as the audience cheered.
Saying the last five years had given the PP enough experience, Persad-Bissessar said she was happy that her Government had weathered many serious challenges—including falling oil prices—to keep the economy afloat.
“Our country has never been more stable than it has been in this last five years. We inherited a treasury that was empty. We inherited the Clico fiasco, the HCU fiasco and we had to settle those debts, but we created 55,000 more jobs. We were able to carry out all the projects and we did not cut any jobs, salaries, pensions or social programmes,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar also vowed that no wages or social programmes would be cut if her Government was given a second term.
She also said that the budget was due on October 31, and that the Government had enough time to prepare for it, although the election would be on September 7. She also urged citizens to register to vote and to check for their names at any of the UNC’s offices.