ELECTIONS 2010

[Crixx_Creww]

She did make it clear
But the PNMites never bothered to read or listen to what she was saying they just went on the fervor that was fed to them
BUT again, The UNCOPTOPLMNOPRQSTUV  is suffering from the same lack of information dissemination and communication pitfalls as the last government did.
But is there first day and we cant expect them to dispel all the campaign fear mongering in one day.

Just like the will of the people voted them in
The people are genuinely concerned about possible racial discrimination, whether or not they have a reason to be afraid is unimportant, it should be addressed.

[woodyear99]

^I'm not trying to be any race war starter, but my question is will there be any discrimination with the admission of these funds to pursue a tertiary education. I know alot of people are worried about this right now especially with rumors of UTT being closed.

Why would they close UTT if there is a growing demand for education and an expanded GATE program?

[Fkacn_tt]

its just what i heard, not really a fact.

[woodyear99]

To sustain even 50% of the promises in the PP manifesto the following may need to take place, though not necessarily in the first year.

1) devaluation of TT dollar
2) re evaluation of certain taxes (which could lead to increases)
3) sale of partial equity into various state assets
4) corporate leasing of all un-occupied UDECOTT buildings
5) development of other industries such as manufacturing and agriculture
6) re evaluation of all social outreach programmes.

Those seem reasonable due to a revenue shortfall.

[Fkacn_tt]

how is devaluation of our tt dollar resonable.

[Exar_Kun]

To sustain even 50% of the promises in the PP manifesto the following may need to take place, though not necessarily in the first year.

1) devaluation of TT dollar
2) re evaluation of certain taxes (which could lead to increases)
3) sale of partial equity into various state assets
4) corporate leasing of all un-occupied UDECOTT buildings
5) development of other industries such as manufacturing and agriculture
6) re evaluation of all social outreach programmes.

Thank you for the summary. I'm sure you have about a hundred excel worksheets that you used to figure this all.
You've got absolutely no idea what the specifics of expenditure are and neither does anyone else. Spare us the armchair economist.

Devaluation of the dollar is about the dumbest idea ever for an economy that is import dependent on the most basic of needs (food for example). A devaluation means an instant increase in the price level which requires across the board increases in salaries which will fuel the lovely increase in inflation and precautionary wage increase demands that will turn our dollar into something as useful as the guardian paper man does wrap fish in.

Short term revenue shortfalls are dealt with in the bond market.

[rb]

Wasn't that same list published in a newspaper after input from real economists some time ago?

[W1nTry]

Just in the same way there are fears of x y z being discontinued, there is a b c reasons that it will continue. In similar fashion to sustain certain promises made by the current incumbent, measures will have to be made, WHAT they are, WHEN they will be implemented and WHO will be affected most isn't something ANYONE knows, inclusive of the new leaders i'm sure. EVERYONE has ideas and EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR IDEAS. If we can't express those ideas and have ppl respond in mature civilzed manners VI will be instituted and posts NUKED. I'm just watching from the sidelines here and ppl remember that political threads by their very nature can ERRUPT into a war of words. So be open minded and patient.

If you're scared and have ur reasons fine, if someone tries to offer some sort of peace of mind, leave it as just that. Don't let the animousity build over unfactual information ppl!

[Exar_Kun]

Wasn't that same list published in a newspaper after input from real economists some time ago?

Economics allows, by its very nature, a person to craft situations, circumstances and dilemmas in whatever way and shape they want. Ask 5 economists for a solution to a problem, and you'll get about 20 solutions.

It's no different from the doom and gloom prophets who, if they had it right, the U.S. economy would have collapsed under the weight of its debt and unfunded liabilities, lost their AAA rating and seen the dollar die as the world's vehicle currency. These gentlemen are among those who had their PhD minted at Harvard and the like, and who are well respected in the academic circles that share their political and economic outlook.

Undoubtedly new expenditure requires new measures, be it raising new capital or diversion of existing capital. But currency devaluation is basically NEVER used to create more local currency. Even at the height of the PNM spending spree, with USD payments required to all these foreign contractors who are repatriating all their profits, devaluation was never considered by the government.
We've got 13 months of import coverage, which is way above what is suggested. Until and unless we end up in some kind of balance of payments crisis we're not going to see a devaluation.

There's a million things a government can technically do to improve their fiscal position. Devaluation is certainly one, but we're not anywhere even close to the position where that should even be considered. Frankly it's no different that saying that the government seizing the savings accounts of citizens is one of the things (happened in Argentina, not talking out my ass here), but that ain't happening either.

[Exar_Kun]

A weakened dollar doesn't necessarily promote a healthier manufacturing industry. It definitely does promote a more competitive manufacturing sector. TTMA would love a devaluation. Imports become more expensive, exports become cheaper. But local manufacturers are now given a degree of protection based on the exchange rate. Very common for companies to get too comfortable to the advantage they're given due to the exchange rate, stifling improvements in innovation and productivity.

For the record, we don't actually know what our deficit is atm. Oil/gas prices are very different to what they were at the time of the budget, being now higher of course. Additionally, our deficit is fueled by massive fiscal overreaching by the government which needs to be reined in.
Devaluation for the reason you mentioned can be seen as needed in cases where the manufacturing sector are extremely uncompetitive and have low demand for their goods, but we're not there. And I think agriculture at this point is far more about fulfilling domestic demand, which has no bearing on a devaluation. 

Viewed strictly for the purposes of servicing short run deficits, bonds are a better alternative right now.Float the bonds, balance the books with fiscal policy.

[TriniXaeno]

No smelter, no property tax, no Revenue Authority.....all well and good.

but what I want to know....What about the bandwidth crisis?

We want Bandwidth for all in the year 2020! (True broadband!)

[Notnice]

No smelter, no property tax, no Revenue Authority.....all well and good.

but what I want to know....What about the bandwidth crisis?

We want Bandwidth for all in the year 2020! (True broadband!)

We just

[Exar_Kun]

And 4G for our phones too (not by 2020 tho, that too far)!!

[Synchronomyst]

Where did this 60% GATE rumour begin, btw? People are repeating it so much that I'm inclined to believe we missed something.

[AR!Ø]

Pretty sure it began with naysayers trying to downplay the opposition and scare younger voters into thinking GATE and free education would go bye-bye if they (opposition) won

[woodyear99]

Yup on the news tonight they showed a bunch of teenagers crying at Balisier House since they not getting their free education anymore :s

[Archer]

Was them self, only saying that if Kamla won that she would remove GATE , UTT and Costaatt. If only ppl weren't so blind eh.

[UltimateGamer]

Far as i remember it was the cur gov't who started gate, well dollar for dollar, and i admire the PNM for taking it a step further when greater revenues came in to make it completely free. Doing away with gate in any way shape or form is just a bad idea however you look at it. The pp as far as i know of their campaigning was all about education, agriculture, technology and alternative power sources (clean power) <- truly inspired thinking really, as well as a host of other "ludicrous promises" (you kno the we go give all yuh dis and dat, kinda the equivalent to paving roads if yuh not in power)<- that turned me off bad.

I am giving PP 1 year to prove themselves, i don't mean a reduction in crime immediately etc, but i want to see them move to put new structures and policies in place to support the economy, making it self sustaining in another sector other than oil and gas,
> do away with the smelter and the rapid rail,
> continue the road expansion project that uncle patos started (though was originally planned since unc days),
> continue to expand air and sea bridges between trinidad and tobago,
> set up for police retraining,
> move to computerize the public offices and TRAIN EMPLOYEES in effective use of these systems,
> open back discussion in constitutional reform,
> COMPLETELY REMOVE ALL TAXES ON ANY COMPUTER RELATED ITEM! and finally,
> open a cool web portal sanctioned by the government for public opinions on national issues, through polls and discussion boards.

Mobilization on these items will mean to me that they are about change, and not just the thought of it. Oh it will be cool to see CH  and uncle PATOS held accountable for the UDCOTT thingy, as PANDAY was for the AIRPORT

[Q]

Crixx, what's VI?

[Crixx_Creww]

VI is Village Idiot