COP launches anti-budget campaign

The Congress of the People (COP) is planning what it calls a Black Friday protest on September 18 against the 2009-1010 budget.

The party is calling on everyone who is unhappy with the budget to wear black. It's part of a street campaign across Trinidad and Tobago

COP Deputy Political Leader Prakash Ramadhar launched the anti-budget campaign at the Brian Lara Promenade on Saturday, titled "No Taxation without Representation".

Ramadhar described the tax regime in the budget as a declaration of war on the poor people. "Mr Manning does not love poor people...he loves people being poor," he said.

Ramadhar added that in spite of high taxation people cannot feel safe, the health services are getting worse, roads are deteriorating and poverty is increasing among the population.

"Yet the Manning Government wants to increase property taxes and other taxes to pay for their squander mania over the last eight years," Ramadhar said.