Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said a review is underway into state-funded housing for government officials, as part of efforts to cut excess spending.
She also issued a directive for a cap on the value of vehicles parliamentarians can buy using tax breaks.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has raised concerns about what she describes as an excessive use of state-funded housing by some former government officials.
While she stopped short of naming individuals, the prime minister emphasized that the focus is on policy changes to ensure greater equity and fairness in the use of public resources.
“I am being told that there are govt officials from the last..some of them are up to three and four state funded houses, can you believe that, we will let you know in due course but I’m not here about name calling I’m here about policy and programmes that more people of the country can benefit from, that there can be more equity and more equality.”
Mrs Persad-Bissessar said she made a directive to stop all requests for state funded housing for her cabinet members.
“The country is not so large that you need to have a house in Port of Spain paid for by tax payers, there are people who don’t even have a house, you want to have two your own house and one in town, no…some might vex with me but I will stick firmly to that and I’ll tell you why, Ministers have a housing allowance paid for by the state. If you want a house in town pay your own rent, y’all agree? Pay your rent why must the tax payer pay your rent and they can’t pay their own rent they don’t even have a place to stay.”
She said this must not continue.
“State funded housing, you want house, pay for house…agreed.”
Mrs Persad-Bissessar also directed that an assessment be done to cap the maximum price on vehicles that parliamentarians can purchase using their tax breaks.
“You may say give them none at all, I am not of that view because they have a lot of travelling work to do but I’ve asked that we put a cap …what was the one Minister Sturge you told me about, a hatch back a Maybach? Something called a Maybach to go and see your constituents, if you want it buy it from your own money.”
The Prime Minister also shared that she will be working out of facilities in Port of Spain, central, south Trinidad and Tobago and her home as necessary and convenient. She said that she does not receive a housing allowance for working from her home.