Really? That’s manufacturing?

Let’s take a look at one of these companies.

A well-known company manufactures tomato ketchup, tomato paste and tomato sauces.

This company buys tomato sauce in drums and plastic squeeze bottles, pre-labelled, from abroad. The drum is dumped in a vat and squeezed into the bottles. That’s manufacturing? That same company has many foreign fast food franchises. Franchise fees have to be remitted monthly in US dollars. That same company also imports and distributes wines and other exotics. So the minister gives it preference as a manufacturer.

Who is to say that those US dollars are not remitted for wine imports and franchise fees. Meanwhile I have to beg.

I distribute machinery not made in Trinidad.

DAVID SALINGER Maraval