War causing fuel prices to increase, TT

THE EDITOR: We have many blessings in sweet TT. The sun shines with a cool breeze at this time of the year. Most of us are content with our multinational population living well side by side.

Our politicians have made us believe all along that we were entitled as a Trini. Since independence we have been given cheaper prices via subsidies for gasoline, electricity, water, etc. More recently, senior citizen can ride the ferry free to Tobago and back, use the bus free, depart TT without paying departure tax, and the list goes on.

Yet, in spite of all this freeness, how many of us pay our utility bills on time?

We took everything for granted and probably some were not even aware that we were getting those commodities cheaper than our West Indian neighbours who did not have an oil and gas economy like TT? Instead, we joined trade unions.

A Trini’s first expense after getting that first job is to buy a car, so the gas subsidies benefitted all walks of life. But things have changed and the war in Europe has caused the price of gasoline to rise worldwide and food prices also, so we now have to tighten our belts.

PATRICIA BLADES

via e-mail