Not about the bottom line only

THE EDITOR: There is a continuing trend by the Government and now some large corporations to cut off funding, abandon and stifle those entities, interests and operations that do not at least break even or bring in a reasonable return on investment. This is good business sense but not when dealing with society as a whole. It is shirking of one’s responsibility in a big way.

The list of entities so affected is growing: from the old days of Caroni and Iscott to more recent occurrences like Petrotrin; the dissection of the GATE programme, where poor people’s children had a chance to obtain a degree; the cancellation or suffocation of agricultural programmes, some experimental and pioneering; the centralisation and shrinking of the tourism industry, courtesy square pegs in round holes. And the absolute neglect of the Lifeguard Association, despite appeals, leaves us appalled.

Some large corporations have followed suit by their policies that marginalise the ordinary man. Bmobile closed down all its service centres and some customers don’t even know where to make queries or pay bills.

Government policy has also affected the used-car industry, where the ordinary man is hard-pressed to afford a used car. New-car dealerships have now started to bring in used cars, at prices close to new-car prices.

And recently the Prime Minister announced very emphatically that there will be no more financial aid for those who had a loss of earnings due to the covid19 pandemic, this while several countries are bending backwards to continue writing stimulus checks, eg the US and Brazil.

We were even threatened with a total lockdown, it being said, “You were warned.”

My objective in writing this letter is to draw awareness to the situation in the country where it seems it’s only about the bottom line and not service to humanity and the evolution of a humane society.

There is also an obligation by those who have plenty to help those in need, if our goal is to become an enlightened society.

JOEL QUINTAL

via e-mail