Cabinet must confront the reality now facing Trinidad and Tobago , we have learnt too little from COVID-19 and are once again drifting into a global crisis unprepared, as tensions involving Iran drive oil prices upward and trigger a cascading rise in freight, bunker surcharges, food imports, and the overall cost of living; the inevitable consequence is that gas at the pump will go up, placing immediate strain on citizens and resulting in fewer cars on the road as ordinary people are priced out of mobility, while grocery bills spiral, rents become unsustainable, and the so called safety net weakens under pressure, yet instead of aggressively pursuing food self sufficiency, economic efficiency, and targeted relief for the vulnerable, the country risks remaining reactive, watching conditions deteriorate until the small man is crushed between rising indirect taxes, shrinking purchasing power, and an economy that appears increasingly disconnected from the daily struggle of its people.
Gordon Laughlin,
Westmoorings
