‘Cost of living much higher in Tobago’

CHIEF SECRETARY of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Orville London emphasised the need for consumer education in Tobago more than any other part of the country. He said there were too many people who felt helpless and hopeless in their dealings with the business community. And even when they believe that they are being disadvantaged, they have neither the information nor the tools to respond in a way that will bring some form of redress,” he said. “Therefore the need for consumer education throughout Trinidad and Tobago is critical, sssbut I think the need for consumer education in Tobago is even more critical.” London made the point Wednesday when he addressed the launch of a Consumer Education pilot project for primary schools on the island. The project is being undertaken by the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, in conjunction with the THA’s Consumer Affairs Department. London referred to a study being undertaken by the THA’s Policy Research Development Institute (PRDI) on the wide price differential between Tobago and Trinidad. He said it was widely recognised that the cost of living in Tobago was 50 to 60 percent higher than in Trinidad. “In some areas like the construction industry the difference is almost scandalous,” London declared.

He said regardless of the findings of the PRDI study, in the final analysis it is the reaction of the public that would be “the most effective way by which this particular problem could be addressed.” He said the consumer education initiative was most welcome, directed as it is at school children: “I am also very heartened that we are starting young. As an educator, I recognise that it’s always easier to teach young people than not-so-young people. They tend to keep those kind of views or that kind of orientation throughout their lives and they also influence not only their peers but the older people with whom they interface.” London commended the Ministry and the relevant THA Divisions for coming together in the implementation of such an important initiative. He said this was an example of the kind of meaningful partnership that continues to exist between the THA and the government. “One of the things that we have been able to do, especially in recent times, is to create an environment in which there is cooperation; there is coordination between the THA and the central Government without any loss of autonomy or any loss of dignity on the part of the THA,” he said. “And I think that this is the spirit of the THA Act (1996), that the THA Act was meant to create an environment in which we in Tobago can have control of our destiny but still be able to walk hand in hand and side by side with our Trinidad counterparts.”