Minister holds population in low esteem?

Imagine that one minister will try to use a pun and think that the entire population of TT is illiterate to such an extent that one day he makes a statement which we are accustomed to and later that day he tries to change the statement by using an alternative word.

To clarify this point, let us look at the two words in contention (freeze and restrain) as explained in the Oxford English Reference Dictionary (2003).

“Freeze” means make or become motionless of powerless through fear, surprise etc; fix or stabilise prices, wages etc; react or cause to react with sudden aloofness or detachment.

“Restrain” means stop/check, control; agency of influence, bondage, shackles; action seeking to interfere with free-market conditions.

It seems as though the minister has indeed put his foot in the proverbial mouth. It also seems apparent that a “restraint” is worse than a “freeze”.

It seems the Prime Minister is on the correct path when he distances himself from statements made by the Minister of Finance and he says that he is “speaking from a vacuum.” Are these words in a vacuum or is the person who made these utterances a vacuum? People cannot show such disdain and disrespect to an intelligent population.

Are we to believe the Minister of Finance holds the population in very low esteem? This comes easily to mind with the wisecrack (with a chuckle), “I have raised the price of fuel three times in one year and there has been no riot.

Maybe I will make another increase by April 2017.” I don’t think that an intelligent population like ours deserves a decision-maker like that.

No government can continue to get the trust and respect of the people when the PM has to continually distance himself from irresponsible statements by irresponsible people.

WKS HOSEIN Chaguanas