Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is set to initiate the debate on Trinidad and Tobago’s $59.2 billion budget for the fiscal year 2025/2026. The session will commence at the Red House in Port of Spain on October 17 at 10 am. This marks Beckles’ first response to the budget since her appointment as opposition leader and PNM political leader on May 6 and June 22, respectively. Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo, who presented the budget on October 13, delivered a three-and-a-half-hour address, setting the stage for Beckles’ equally lengthy response. Following Beckles’ contribution, other Members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, will have up to 45 minutes to speak, with an optional ten-minute extension. Leader of Government Business Barry Padarath indicated that the debate could extend over four to five days, potentially including weekend sessions, with the Standing Finance Committee reviewing the budget over an additional five days. The government, holding 26 seats in the House, will determine the debate’s conclusion after all 13 opposition MPs have spoken. The Tobago People’s Party, with two MPs, has also expressed its intention to participate. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s contribution is anticipated later in the debate. The Senate will subsequently review the budget, though it is barred from voting on money bills. Concurrently, the PNM will host a post-budget political meeting at the Belmont Community Centre on October 17, featuring Beckles and other prominent MPs as speakers.