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INDEPENDENT Senator Alicia Pauline Lalite-Ettienne has called on the government to inform the population of what to expect in terms of difficult times ahead, as she criticised the 2026 budget for giving with one hand but taking with the other. During her maiden contribution to a budget debate in the Senate on October 27, Lalite-Etienne described the budget as a Christmas tree with lots of glitter. The senator, who is visually impaired, said: "It has a lot of glitter, plenty glitter that even the blind could see. However, not everything that glitters are gold." She said the budget was filled with catchwords which would provide hope to a population desperately craving it. However, she noted that many of the policies outlined would ultimately cost citizens by increasing the cost of living. "Jump high, jump low, no matter if you want to butter it up, no matter if you want to put the glitter of Christmas tree lights on it, cost of living is going up. For example, $1 off super gas. I view this as a distraction carrot to the main meat of the matter." "Everybody happy. When they go to the pump they paying $50 less. But when you increase taxes, what happens? There is a trickle effect." She cited the 0.25 per cent levy on the assets of banks and insurance companies, the $0.05 surcharge on electricity per kilowatt hour for commercial and industrial customers, the landlord surcharge, increased fees and excise duties and increased NIS contributions as all going to result in less disposable income for citizens. She said the taxes for businesses would be passed on to customers. "If things are going to be tough, say it from the beginning, 'You all, we have to tighten our belt. Things are hard, x, y and z." She said the resulting cost increases to citizens could outweigh any savings they might benefit from with the decrease in the price of Super gasoline. Lalite-Etienne also aimed at the government's handling of the termination of contracts for the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep) and the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP). She said that despite the issues plaguing the entities, transitional measures should have been implemented to soften the blow to those who were employed under them. "You can't dump people into an abyss and then tell them 'wait for the promise, it coming down the pipeline.' They need it now. They need that olive branch now." In June, the government began terminating the contracts, which it claimed were improperly awarded or being used to fund criminal elements. In his budget presentation on October 13, Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo said the programmes would be replaced by full-time employment.
