In a brisk end-of-year exchange on December 29, 2025, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar swatted away Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles’ accusations of “gaslighting” and “bleeding” citizens’ pockets, doubling down on her plan to “clean up” what she called the “lawless dump” left by the former PNM administration. The moment was more than a spicy headline—it was a window into how this government intends to govern: law-and-order messaging paired with revenue-raising reforms.
What’s actually being argued?
Beckles’ case in a sentence: The UNC administration is padding revenue with sharp increases in fines, fees and taxes, breaking campaign tone and “squeezing” already stretched households. She also questioned optimistic budget assumptions. *(See Newsday’s detailed list of traffic and administrative fees effective Jan 1, 2026: speeding tiers, customs fees, births/deaths registrations and more.)*
Kamla’s counter-punch: Nothing is “secret” or “hidden”—the measures were laid out in the Budget Statement and the Finance Bill. The tough penalties target disorder and are part of fixing a decade of drift. *(For what the government actually tabled, see the Ministry of Finance’s Budget Statement 2026 and PwC’s plain-English Budget Insights 2026.)*
The policy meat: What changed (or will)
Here are the headline items that sit behind the sound bites:
- Traffic and public-order penalties
- Significant increases across dozens of road-traffic offences, e.g. speeding up to 6,000 for the highest tier; no valid insurance up to 10,000; higher fixed penalties where demerit points once dominated.
- Why it matters: the administration frames this as a deterrent; critics call it a revenue lever. *(See the specific tiers and fees in Newsday’s explainer: fines & fees list.)*
- Excise duties & customs fees
- Higher excise on alcohol and cigarettes; container examination and customs declaration fees doubled.
- PwC notes these measures sit inside a broader compliance push (GenTax/ASYCUDA upgrades, 300+ revenue officers). *(Read: PwC Budget Insights 2026.)*
- Relief/offsets
- Super gasoline reduced by $1/litre (estimated ~$50 per tank), and VAT removed on a basket of basics to buffer households. *(See PwC’s summary of measures and the official Budget Statement.)*
- Broader tax architecture moves
- Government signalled a shift from VAT towards a sales-tax regime, tougher transfer-pricing rules, and exploration of REITs plus a new NIF bond to monetise assets. *(Background: PwC analysis.)*
- Public safety & the “lawless dump” frame
- 2025 saw two States of Emergency (late-2024 carry-over and a July 2025 SOE) aimed at gang disruption. *(Context via The Guardian.)*
- TTPS reports a sharp fall in murders versus 2024—260 homicides by Sept 11, 2025 vs 440+ same period in 2024, and the lowest monthly toll in a decade in August. *(See Newsday spot updates: Sept 12 brief; also the TTPS crime totals dashboard.)*
How we got here (and why the rhetoric lands)
- A new government with a big mandate. The UNC returned to power in April with 26/41 seats, and Persad-Bissessar was sworn in on May 1 after a snap election triggered by the short-lived PNM leadership handover. *(Solid overviews from AP News, and a capsule of the snap-election backdrop via AP preview.)*
- Opposition reset. Pennelope Beckles is now Opposition Leader—her portfolio and statements carry institutional weight. *(Profile/confirmation: TT Parliament bio.)*
- Public exhaustion with crime. After a grim 2024 (record ~623 murders), the public tolerance for indiscipline is low, making law-and-order a potent frame. *(Year-end context from Financial Times and The Guardian.)*
My take: the promise—and the pitfalls—of “consequence governance”
What the government gets right
- Signals matter. Swift, visible enforcement can help reset norms—especially after years of impunity narratives.
- Balance sheet realism. With energy rents under strain, compliance + broad-based contributions are unavoidable to fund security, health and education. *(See the macro headwinds flagged in Budget Insights 2026.)*
Where the backlash bites
- Sticker shock is real. When fines double overnight, it feels like taxation by stealth—even if the Budget and Finance Bill spelled it out. Government must show its work: link each penalty to measurable safety outcomes.
- Demerit-points whiplash. Abruptly subordinating points to fixed penalties invites the claim that revenue—not behaviour change—is the goal. Beckles’ critique resonates here. *(Her argument and schedules: Newsday’s deep-dive.)*
- Enforcement capacity. Penalties without consistent, fair enforcement breed cynicism. Transparent KPIs for TTPS and body-cam usage (a 2025 sore point) should be non-negotiable. *(Earlier concerns on use-of-force oversight surfaced in March: Newsday report.)*
What to watch in early 2026
- Crime trendline: Does the homicide decline sustain without emergency powers? *(Track via the TTPS monthly dashboard.)*
- Revenue vs. relief: Does the $1/litre super gas cut and VAT-free basket offset the blow of higher fines/fees for most households? *(Budget text and PwC’s costing: Budget 2026, PwC.)*
- Finance Bill follow-through: Are enforcement and appeals processes (for traffic, customs, gaming, rentals) well-communicated and fair? *(Initial expert reactions: Trinidad Guardian analysis.)*
- Opposition traction: Beckles’ line of attack—“hidden hardship”—only sticks if households feel net worse by March/April.
Practical notes for citizens & businesses
- Drivers: Treat the new schedule as live. Budget for higher penalties risk—or, better, avoid them. Keep documents current, stick to limits, and assume Priority Bus Route enforcement will be strict. *(See the updated tiers in Newsday.)*
- Importers/Retail: Reprice SKUs with higher customs fees factored in; update landed-cost models now. *(Measure details in PwC’s summary.)*
- Landlords/SMEs: Expect tightening on rental income compliance and general tax enforcement; get records and filings squeaky clean.
- Households: Check the VAT-free list and re-route weekly purchases where possible; the super-gas cut helps frequent drivers more than non-drivers.
Bottom line
Kamla’s “lawless dump” phrasing is deliberately jarring. It creates a simple bargain: “If you play by the rules, we’ll protect you; if you don’t, you’ll feel it—in your pocket first.” Whether citizens accept that bargain depends on three things in Q1–Q2 2026: a continued fall in violent crime, fair, even-handed enforcement, and tangible cost-of-living offsets that make the budget feel less like a shakedown and more like a reset.
If those show up, the rhetoric will read as tough love. If not, it risks sounding like a tax wrapped in a scold.
Sources, context & further reading (anchor links)
- Original exchange: Trinidad Express report (via WINN)
- PM’s “lawless dump” quote: Newsday report
- Beckles’ critique and fee schedules: Newsday explainer
- Budget text (official): Budget Statement 2026
- Budget quick take (analyst lens): PwC Budget Insights 2026
- Crime/security context: Guardian on July 2025 SOE; Newsday on homicide decline; TTPS monthly stats
- Mandate & political shifts: AP on UNC’s April win; AP on snap-election backdrop
- Opposition Leader bio: TT Parliament – Pennelope Beckles-Robinson
Meta description:
A sharp, skimmable breakdown of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s “lawless dump” broadside—what Beckles claimed, what the Budget and Finance Bill actually do, and how the crime and cost-of-living math will decide who wins this fight in early 2026.
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