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' where is the love'

On my way home this afternoon I notice four (4) guys sitting on a railing on Saddle Road, all looking up into a tree. One has an air rifle with a scope on it. I concluded that they were hunting. The law states that hunting can only be carried out on State lands and that one cannot discharge a firearm within a certain distance from a roadway or residential area. I stopped and reported the situation to the Maraval police. Soon after I get a call from one of the officers at the police station reporting on what they, the police, had done and that the situation was dealt with.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that anything would have been done, and here it is the Maraval police acted on a report. Yes, I know it is their job but kudos to the TTPS, Maraval.

The Budget has been the subject of discussion on every talk show, radio and TV, and many editorials and commentary. Listening to the Budget presentation I thought that I was back in school up on Calvary Hill at Holy Cross College with the Principal, Fr. Foley, berating us all for something we did or did not do. I thought that after being in business for myself for over thirty (30) years building a business from scratch, during the worst recession in 1987, employing many persons, making and losing money, never once missing salary commitments that I would have heard words of wisdom from the Minister of Finance. Instead I felt that as a business man who has spent half of his life building a sustainable business that I had actually done something wrong. Being successful is now a sin. Having and owning stuff was being frowned upon by this government. Everybody should be driving a Russian-made 'LADA,' and you could have any color, once it was black.

Why did the Minister adopt this approach? Stating the case of the condition of the economy was never an issue. We all knew that the revenues from the energy sector were cut in half, or worse, and that we had to make the changes. My business and I were not responsible for the fall in energy prices. We all benefitted from the largesse, we all had a great time, we all figured that it would never end and even if it did we could ride out the storm. When I say all, I mean all, from top to bottom. The Minister did say that all now had to 'stand the bounce'. We all now had to adjust to suit the new, lower revenue streams and therefore the status quo could not be maintained.

Why the Minister thought that going after the business sector was a great way of laying blame for the country's current situation I am not sure. Where was the vision? Where was the support for business to help the country weather the economic storm? The Minister wants the business community to not retrench workers, maintain salary levels, invest in new opportunities and overall play a major part in the recovery effort. One second later he announces an increase in Corp Tax and says it in a way that puts the blame on business for his predicament.

Where is the love, Minister of Finance? Where is the understanding of where we the employers of hundreds of thousands of persons are having a very difficult time with our businesses? Tightening of credit, tightening up of our banking facilities, ForEx problems, lack of new business opportunities. This is not an easy time for us, very unpredictable, very little hope.

Other than that we wake up and head off to work, not knowing what the day will bring us and still we continue to support our country, Trinidad and Tobago!

Having a Government that would actually have a vision, a plan to see us out of this current situation would help. I am not seeing this, which is scary. Fumbling around in the dark is not what we need to be doing. The path forward should be clear as day.

The Minister of Finance has not shown himself to be that person and I hold no other hope for the  PMOTT.

Good night people, and good luck!

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