STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS Re s t o r i n g Tru s t he PNM’s unrelenting seven-year campaign and its savagely partisan Tuse of the apparatus of the State to humiliate and criminalise the leadership and prominent supporters of the UNC have failed to produce a single convic- tion on any charge of misconduct in public office. The UNC nonetheless recognises the compelling obligation to move immedi- ately with speed and purpose to do all that is possible to restore the public trust. We will therefore lose no time and spare an individual of manifestly impeccable no effort in initiating the most stringent reputation and sterling character, charged measures that will enforce on all persons with the responsibility of igniting in gov- holding positions of public trust, scrupu- ernment and in the wider national com- lous compliance with the comprehensive munity of the Republic of Trinidad and legislative and legal sanctions that the Tobago, a culture of transparency, UNC has already introduced, and will yet accountability, decency, honesty, and formulate, to ensure unwavering adher- probity, that will permit no compromise, ence to the highest ethical standards and will protect no interest save the public the most exacting demands of probity in good, and will define the politics of this all matters of Governance. nation into perpetuity. To these ends, we will appoint as Minister of Public Administration and Compliance, Basdeo Panday Leader of the United National Congress 1 THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS These measures will be initiated in the first 90 days of the new UNC term OurPledges tothePeople A Safe T&T– Our Top Priority Targeted Cutback in VAT by 5% $5,000 HOME-AID for House Repairs Tax Free for Taxis The UNC will follow up its acclaimed By lowering the tax rate, increasing A first time ever,Home-Aid assistance After abolishing annual Motor war against narco-trafficking and non-taxable allowances and remov- plan for house repairs for low-income Vehicle Licence Fees and allowing other classes of crime with a ing VAT from a range of consumer senior citizens and other homeown- the importation of foreign used vehi- comprehensive programme to items, including computers and ers of modest means. cles, the UNC will authorise Tax Free reposition the Police service, tackle computer supplies, the UNC enabled Tyres and Batteries for Taxi Operators. crime at the roots, to root out and taxpayers to keep more of the money CEMCOTT – put away the criminals, and to make they earned, over six consecutive New Perspectives for Caroni Nationwide Highway Patrol our population feel safe again. years.We propose to swiftly assess The Central Maintenance Centre of To arrest the lawlessness, the the feasibility of our earlier commit- Trinidad and Tobago takes the frequency of incidents and accidents, 130,000 New Jobs – Yes We Can ment to consider a substantial VMCOTT concept to new dimensions and the carnage on our roads, the In our first term, UNC policies led to cutting back of VAT. in this new business unit for Caroni UNC will establish a new protective more than 80,000 new jobs, our goal Limited, providing multi-skills train- unit, the National Highway Patrol, is full employment within this ing, generating hundreds of new with 250 motor cycle and mobile decade.We did it before.We’ll do it $1500 “Nest Egg” for jobs, and establishing a regional auto Highway Patrol Officers in the initial again. New Born Babies centre. phase.Closed Circuit Television A kick-start for every newborn baby: Systems will be an integral Land Reform - Land for the Landless $1500 in Units in the Unit Trust, component of the Nationwide encouraging savings and thrift, and Cheaper Car Parts The UNC will provide developed land Highway Patrol System guaranteed by the state. After opening car ownership to with all utilities to the landless at $25,000 per lot on low interest 30 tens of thousands more citizens House and Land, the UNC Plan with the importation of foreign year mortgages. Pension Payments from 60 years The UNC will establish new residen- used vehicles, the UNC will tial settlements in which families will More Tax Cuts for The UNC doubled Old Age Pensions reduce the duty on all car parts. be offered affordable subsidized land Individuals and Companies and is responsible for the present and homes. After no new taxes in our first six years, we will cut $1,000 pension. Under a UNC gov- back Personal Income Tax and Corporation Tax by ernment, this benefit will begin 5 5% initially, with a subsequent 5% years earlier, at age 60. 2 3 THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS Families First Centres ing a Marching Band, the World’s first ever Lower Telephone To ease the pressure on combining a fusion of Ministry of Distance North-South Traffic Interchange Charges working parents, we will Indo/Afro/Steelband Learning and tax-free In order to expand the establish new Day Care instruments and dance. purchases of computers range of Telecom With monumentally backwar d thinkin g , Centres, manned by and supplies. options for consumers, the PNM is widening the approaches to the senior citizens and ado- Dollar for Dollar for and to bring rates down, lescents in all Ministries Every Student Community nat i o n ’s biggest traffic bot t l e n e c k , can ce l i n g the UNC will liberalise the UNC planned inter change for the stated and in all communities. The PNM sabotaged the Internet Cafes the telecom sector. National Youth Guard Dollar for Dollar Plan, To nurture the innate reason that the struct u r al arch look ed like the $35M for Naparima Bowl To strengthen their char- which so dramatically talent of our young Rising Sun ; to bring relief to the hundreds of acter and instill disci- democratised tertiary people and in order to thousands of persons using the Uriah Butler– Trinidad and Tob a g o ,as pline in our youth, and education in Trinidad encourage amity, Chu rc h i l l / R oo s e velt inter s e ct i o n , we will give the creat i v e source / cap - to strengthen the fabric and Tobago.The UNC camaraderie and self the people of Trinidad and Tobago their long ital of the Cari b be a n , of the nation, we will will not only restore this development among over due Eas t – We s t - No rt h - S outh Traf f i c should long ago have In terc h a n g e . had a state of the art These measures will be initiated in the first 90 days of the new UNC term mu l t i - p u r pose intern a - ti o n a l cent r e for the per - for m- OurPledges tothePeople in g art s , establish a Volunteer benefit, we will extend it them, the UNC will provide free drugs for incentives for private the UNC will make National Youth Guard, to the entire indigenous establish Internet Cafes the treatment of all sector development of Nap a r ima Bowl such a which will provide crisis student body at in all communities. HIV/AIDS patients. affordable student fa c i l i t y at an estimated management and spe- approved tertiary residential units in the cost of 35 million dollars. cial events skills training, institutions. Free Drugs for UWI-Student-Housing environs of the UWI sports and musical Aids Treatment Committed to doing St. Augustine campus. development, and which All Schools Online Having substantially everything possible to will promote musical tal- The UNC is to be credit- reduced the price of propel the Revolution in ent through participa- ed with propelling medication for hyper- education which the tion in Regional Youth Trinidad & Tobago to tension, diabetes and UNC ignited in the first Battalions, each operat- computer literacy with HIV/AIDS, the UNC will term, we will provide 4 5 THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR A STRONG T&T THE UNITED NATIONAL CONGRESS Appoint as Minister of National Security, a proven leader of acknowledged stature, who will command the respect of the protective CR I M E services and that of the national community. 2002 will go down in histor y tra u m at i z ed the soci e t y this possess the knack of makin g • Get tough on persons •Train all Pol i c e Off i c ers in rap e,kidnapping and as the nine-months blunder yea r ,the pop u l a tion might of f ers to the Prime Min i s te r disturbing the public pea c e. com m u n i c ations and ar med rob be r y to possible named Howar d Chin Lee , ha ve felt bet t er prote c ted . th a t he dares not ref u s e . in ter personal rel at i o n s . li f e impris o n m e n t. Patr ick Man n i n g ’s yuppie fete - • Stri c tly enfor ce all laws pr omoting prot é g é , in whose Tha t aspec t of law enfor ce- Giv en how far out of hand the rel a ting to the sale to and • Giv e the Commissioner of • Den y bail to repe a t in ex pe ri e n c ed and untes te d me n t has not,ho wever ,bee n pr oblem of crime has gotten consumption of alcohol by Pol i c e the genuine of fe n d e r s .