On October 13, Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo presented the national budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year in the House of Representatives. The government has outlined a planned expenditure of $59.232 billion, based on projected oil prices of US$73.25 per barrel and natural gas prices of US$4.35 per mmbtu. However, current market prices stand at approximately US$60 for WTI crude, US$63.50 for Brent crude, and US$3.09 per mmbtu for natural gas, indicating potential revenue challenges. Minister Tancoo projected total revenues of $55.367 billion, resulting in a fiscal deficit of $3.865 billion, which equates to about 2% of the country’s GDP. This deficit remains within the internationally accepted benchmark of 3%. The budget prioritizes key sectors, with education and training receiving the largest allocation of $8.76 billion, followed by health ($8.21 billion), national security ($6.36 billion), public utilities ($3.39 billion), and infrastructure ($1.94 billion). Tancoo emphasized the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, stating, ‘When the UNC wins, everybody wins,’ and expressed pride in the budget’s figures.