Page 14 - PNM General Election 2020 Manifesto

people infected and 87,000 deaths, which is 1 Economy. Details of this carefully thought out
person in every 80 persons infected. In Trinidad Plan can be found at this link:
and Tobago, we have just 164 cases, or 1 person
in 8,000 infected, 100 times less than the number https://www.opm.gov.tt/prime-ministers-media-
of cases in Brazil on a per capita basis. Further, conference-saturday-9th-may-2020/
the vast majority of our cases are imported, and
until we allowed persons to return from overseas During the early days, we were also aware that
on humanitarian grounds, we had no increase in the public health restrictions would impose
cases for weeks. hardship on some of our most vulnerable citizens
and would have a severe adverse effect on
business activity, income and employment.

Accordingly, we devised a multifaceted social and
financial support and fiscal stimulus Plan to guide
us through and out of this health and economic
crisis, with the primary focus on helping those
most in need. To pay for the additional expenses
associated with Covid-19, and the economic
fallout, we moved swiftly to access available
In addition, consider the fact that the other major funding from our Heritage and Stabilization Fund,
political party has been so reckless and which was set up for precisely this type of
irresponsible with respect to its approach to catastrophe, as well as international funding.
dealing with this dangerous Covid-19 virus. At
first, in early February, their key spokespersons Our comprehensive $6B Covid-19 support
foolishly described Covid-19 as a “little flu” which measures include the following:
according to them, was nothing to worry about.
As the virus swept across Europe and North SOCIAL AND HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT
America, leaving a trail of sickness and death in its
path, they rashly recommended the use of • Additional financial support for existing food
puncheon rum, pepper, chlorine, and various card beneficiaries and persons in need – 18,000
unsuitable and dangerous drugs, such as insulin, families at a cost of $21M
to treat the virus. The latest ridiculous salvo from
the leader of the other side, apart from senseless • Emergency hampers, food boxes and food
demands that we open our borders arbitrarily vouchers – 20,000 families at a cost of $10M
and allow our already stretched healthcare
system to collapse, is that “sunshine” will kill the
virus, completely oblivious to the fact that Covid-
19 is raging through Florida, the Sunshine State.

It is unimaginable what would have happened to
us if they were in charge in February when Covid-
19 arrived in Trinidad and Tobago - our citizens
would have had no chance of survival.
• Additional Financial Support for existing or
Having kept our citizens safe, on May 9th, the pending social welfare recipients – 46,000
Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley families at a cost of $36M
announced a 6-phase Reopening Plan for the

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PNM THE RIGHT CHOICE ON AUGUST 10 People’s National Movement Manifesto 2020