(Trinidad Guardian) Newly appointed Finance Minister Vishnu Dhanpaul yesterday pledged that his tenure will not bring financial hardship to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Dhanpaul, who previously served as a permanent secretary in the Finance Ministry, has worked with eight finance ministers across successive administrations since 1991. He also recently held the position of High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Yesterday, he officially replaced Colm Imbert, who served as Finance Minister since 2015.
Following his swearing-in at President’s House, Dhanpaul immediately displayed a different leadership style from his predecessor, who largely restricted direct media access by blocking journalists from contacting him.
In a quiet but notable gesture, Dhanpaul shared his contact information with reporters and personally shook their hands after the interview.
He also made a bold declaration about the economic direction under his leadership.
“You have to make tough decisions as a minister of finance. You would like to not make tough decisions. What I would tell you as a, I don’t want to say a promise to the country, but the people of Trinidad and Tobago, there will be no hardships. Not under my watch. That is not going to happen.”
Dhanpaul also dismissed any plans to impose austerity measures.
“Economic policies, you don’t have to put pain on people necessarily. We are not going through austerity measures. At least I have no intention of implementing any austerity measures to literally punish the population. It’s as simple as that. We’re going to keep it simple. We’re going to keep it above board. We’re going to keep it with integrity and get the job done.”
The minister identified economic growth—particularly in the non-energy sector—as his top priority, believing it will help resolve critical issues, including the foreign exchange crisis.
Despite the magnitude of the task ahead, Dhanpaul admitted he was surprised to be appointed. He also stated that he has no intention of holding onto power if he is no longer effective in the role.
“I think it’s a very thankless job of being minister of finance in Trinidad and Tobago. You can’t win, but you have to do your best. And something I could tell the population, I promise to do my best. And when my best stops being good enough, I know when to leave.”
The new Finance Minister declined to comment on how he plans to mend the strained relationship between his ministry and the Auditor General’s office. However, he emphasised the importance of professionalism in such interactions.
“I have worked with many auditors general over the years, and we have had fantastic relationships—professionally, very cordial. And I don’t see why it should change now. I’ve worked with many of them.”
Tensions between the two offices arose in April last year when the Finance Ministry submitted amended public accounts to explain a reported $2.6 billion underestimation in revenue. Auditor General Jaiwantie Ramdass initially refused to accept the late submission, citing the need for legal advice, before ultimately reviewing the documents. However, she later submitted her original report to Parliament, stating her team was unable to reconcile the figures.
Legal disputes between the parties are ongoing, though Cabinet recently decided to scrap aspects of the investigation related to Ramdass.
