Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle joined protesters outside Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s office, standing in solidarity against the government’s proposed vehicle license fee increases. Addressing the crowd, Pringle made it clear that no increase—whether 40%, $100, or even $1—should be accepted by the people.
“We have to stand, we have to show the people,” Pringle stated. He criticized the Browne administration for seeking additional funds just three months after passing a national budget, in which he claims Cabinet ministers were not allowed to debate expenditures. “How can you come back now, without accounting for what has already been spent, and ask the people for more?” he questioned.
Pringle argued that the government’s approach is a deliberate strategy to justify the tax hike. “They put it at 40% first, knowing they need $100, just to make it seem like a compromise,” he said. He also pointed out that the government had already appropriated $95.9 million for road construction in the 2025 budget and questioned why additional funds were being demanded.
“Where did that $95.9 million go? That’s what people want to know,” Pringle said, calling for transparency from the Ministry of Works. “Not a cent, not a dollar—the people say no!” he declared.
The proposed increase, which has sparked public backlash, is expected to be discussed in Cabinet next Wednesday before being debated in Parliament.
