The warning signs are there, and Trinidad and Tobago must not ignore them.
Across the country, citizens are struggling with rising food prices, increasing living expenses, job losses, taxation and a declining ability to maintain the lifestyle they once enjoyed. Pensioners, working families and the unemployed are feeling the pressure, while businesses are also experiencing the effects of reduced consumer spending.
Recent protests in France provide a reminder of how quickly public frustration can spread. What begins as a protest over one specific grievance, such as educational funding, can grow into a much wider movement as citizens bring their other economic and social concerns to the streets.
Trinidad and Tobago should take note. When people feel that their concerns are not being adequately addressed, dissatisfaction can extend beyond the original complaint and unite people from different walks of life around common grievances.
Our citizens should not have to resort to street protests before their concerns receive serious attention. Government must recognise that economic statistics alone do not tell the full story. The true measure of economic performance is whether ordinary citizens can afford food, pay their bills, find employment and live with dignity.
The removal of VAT from food items, meaningful employment opportunities, responsible taxation and practical relief for vulnerable households deserve urgent consideration.
This is not a call for confrontation; it is a call for foresight and responsible governance. Listening to citizens and addressing their concerns early is far less damaging than allowing frustration to deepen.
The question is not whether citizens have grievances. The question is whether those grievances are being heard and addressed before public frustration reaches a tipping point.
Trinidad and Tobago must act before economic hardship becomes a wider crisis of public confidence.
Gordon Laughlin
Wsetmoorings
