Expect budget deficit: Dookeran

Finance Minister Winston Dookeran is expecting a deficit in the first Peoples's partnership budget, which is expected to be presented in Parliament next month.

However he is optimistic that the shortfall will be smaller than last year's deficit, which was about $7.7 billion.

The last Manning government's budget was approximately $45 billion.

Dookeran told the Sunday Guardian he is still working on the details of the fiscal measure and "we will explain everything when the budget is read.”

The Guardian asked the acting Prime Minister if the salaries of the Canadian Police Commissioner a Canadian Deputy Commissioner would put strain on the country's financial resources.

Read the story: New CoP to be paid $132,000/month: Newspaper report

“Well, obviously, any increase in cost will affect the budgetary situation. But we are trying to ensure that we can return to growth during the next economic year. During that period we hope to build back the country and also build back the fiscal accounts,” Dookeran said.

Last week Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told the Guardian the government of Trinidad and Tobago has not yet taken a decision on the salaries for the top officers.

“I know the matter will come to the Cabinet and we will take a decision. As far as I am aware there has been no decision to pay the CoP that money, whatever amount whether it is X or Y. No decision has been taken,” Persad-Bissessar the paper.

Read the Sunday Express editorial:Big hopes tied to big bucks