Former Minister of Energy Kevin Ramnarine is questioning the source and legitimacy of the Finance Minister’s pronouncements of growth in the T&T economy.
In his Budget presentation on Monday Minister Imbert gave an optimistic account of the domestic economy, detailing strong financial buffers, including US$6.1B in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and citing three consecutive years of growth.
The Finance Minister said that in 2022 the economy grew by 1.5%, in 2023 1.3% and in 2024 1.9%.
However speaking on the Power Breakfast Show this morning Ramnarine said that he follows the GDP Data very closely and he could not find an accurate or factual basis for the numbers.
He said that the numbers did not come from the authoritative source of economic data in Trinidad and Tobago which is the CSO.
He insisted that the authority for economic data in T&T is the CSO and not the Ministry of Finance.
He said that he hoped that the Opposition and the Independent benches ask the Minister how he arrived at 1.3%.
Ramnarine also took issue with the 1.9% growth reported for 2024 and called on the CSO to explain the figures.