Vision 2020 is being reformulated to meet the new global, regional and national realities.

So said Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley as he addressed the party's 44th Annual Convention at the Grand Stand, Queen's Park Savannah on Sunday night. Rowley's speech not only criticised the Government's performance, but it also attempted to outline alternatives and policies which a PNM Government would implement.

Rowley said, "While the Vision 2020 Plan formed the base of our work, we know that the world has moved on since that period and considerable time has been lost, therefore, some aspects of our policy needed to be thought afresh and reformulated....to meet the new ...realities."

Rowley said the party's policy working groups had continued to grapple with the new issues, engaging expertise locally and abroad, to reformulate the PNM's policy agenda for the next decade and beyond."

He said a PNM government would stimulate production in every area with private sector capital being encouraged to assume greater responsibility alongside a government philosophy which continues to see a pivotal catalysing role for the State. He said a PNM government would also tackle all elements of wasteful consumption.

Rowley said the next PNM government would work harder at encouraging a better collaborative environment between business and labour so as to "minimise distrust and maximise Government's role as investor and a facilitator in establishing economic projects in which Government, business and labour could have an investment stake".

He said a PNM government would ensure that its policies and programmes are geared to provide the population with safer communities, accessible, affordable water and electricity, decent roads and bridges, mass transportation and a clean environment. It would also invest heavily in education.

"Our people need to embrace the values of personal responsibility, personal initiative and commitment to responsible family life. The new social support framework and expenditure will be reoriented towards this goal," Rowley said.

He said a PNM government would also tackle "frontally the transfers and subsidies budget by ensuring that monies spent under this head are targeted and achieve their purpose, and when the objective has been achieved, the subsidies would be reduced".

He added: "We will also separate the Heritage component from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and place disbursements from the Heritage component under the control of Parliament."

Rowley said a PNM government would work with the Opposition in ensuring that energy policy "transcends political immaturity". "To this end, we would establish the parliamentary committee on energy to oversee and develop longer term strategies," he said.