Hours before Nomination Day on July 17th, political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says she is “extremely confident” that her party will return to office after polling day on August 10th.

“I can see it, I can taste it, I can feel it,” Persad-Bissessar told supporters who tuned in to the party’s virtual political meeting on Thursday night. 

Describing her main political opponent, Prime Minister and political leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM), Dr. Keith Rowley, as an “arrogant strong man”, the UNC leader pointed to government’s management of repatriating citizens to allude to what she described as his lack of genuine care for citizens.

“To cover his incompetence, he resorts to divide and rule strongman tactics by pitting nationals stranded abroad against citizens here in T&T,” she said, adding “He has manipulated the situation to paint these citizens stranded abroad as outsiders and uses this to stir up hate and resentment against them.”

Branding herself a more “approachable” leader, Persad-Bissessar claimed if elected to office, her party would “leave more money in the hands of citizens”.

“We will remove the nuisance tax that is the Online Purchase Tax.  All that has done is added to the burden that micro and small businesses face in obtaining supplies,” she said. 

Earlier this month, while speaking at the opening of the Point Fortin Hospital, Dr. Rowley cautioned voters against political opponents offering promises of reduced taxation. 

“There are people telling you that they’re going to cancel this tax, and cancel that tax…and I will give you this and I will give you that. Well let me tell you something. That is not proper public policy,” Dr. Rowley said in his address.