T&T Opposition claims back door deal to IMF

Trinidad and Tobago’s Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley has warned that the five-member coalition People’s Partnership government was using a possible back door approach in taking Trinidad and Tobago to the International Monetary Fund.



Dr Rowley's warning came as he responded to the $54.6 billion TT dollar budget presented in the Trinidad Parliament on Monday.



He told legislators that the Kamla Persad Bissessar administration had deliberately pegged the fiscal package to an oil price of US$75 dollars a barrel, knowing that it could well lead to a shortfall in the budgetary process.



The Opposition Leader says this approach would allow for the oil-rich twin island republic to seek assistance from the IMF given the fact that the government has been operating at a deficit since taking office in May 2010.