The national budget must stop being a "crystal ball-ish" event and become a real means of development for the people, Minister in the Ministry of Social Development Dr Lincoln Douglas said yesterday.

Douglas was speaking at a Budget Consultation at the Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas, where citizens, social activists, members of the business community and young people gathered to give their opinions with respect to the upcoming 2010/2011 Budget.

The meeting was chaired by executive member of the Congress of the People (COP) Hulsie Bhaggan, and featured a panel that included Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar, Planning and Gender Affairs Minister Mary King, economist Dr Patrick Watson and Douglas.

Douglas said that for too long, he has viewed the Budget exercise as having little to do with the real needs of the people.

"I always felt as if is more of a crystal ball-ish kind of thing, where politicians try to predict what people want and what will make them happy," he said.

"I feel that for too long, many of the wrong questions have been asked," Douglas said.

"Has anyone ever asked 'Who are these people living on this island? What are their needs? What do they need to develop towards a meaningful way of life?' I feel as if I have never really known what the place of the budget is in the lives on the people.

"The budget must subscribe to a process of development, it must be part of the process of development," he said.

"The important questions about the population are not being asked and this must change."