How to start turning things around in TT

But we face many other problems. Here are some them: Immigration: We have to begin to manage this area.

Tourism: We also need proper management here, what with crime apparently stifling this industry.

Agriculture: We ran ourselves out of business — no more manufacturing of sugar, planting of cocoa, yams, eddoes cassava, corn, rice etc.

We prefer to import from Grenada. Why? Our food import bill is over $5 billion. All the above should be on the negative list as all can be grown here.

When are we going to diversify and make the country self-sufficient in terms of food? In the past we were pushing small business.

Now it appears we have turned a blind eye on it.

And a seven percent tax is placed on online shopping. This must be reduced to 2.5 percent, if not small business will not survive and many people will be looking for employment.

Transport: All First World countries have a railroad service. We got rid of this service and created a traffic jam.

Town and Country: Businesses approved in residential areas are creating parking woes.

Therefore we have created a business of wrecking cars.

We have to diversify and create new businesses.

We must start with agriculture. Could someone say what is happening with the Chaguaramas agricultural venture? We have to stop depending on oil and gas to bring in foreign exchange and stop depending on construction to create employment.

Even though we are late in the game to build our country, we have the infrastructure.

Starting now, all State boards must begin to work. We need to see a progress report from each board every month. Those boards that are worthless and not producing must be removed. Taxpayers demand this. The days of jobs for the boys are over. I suggest we seek to balance imports against exports by looking at the concession to manufacturers who import and repackage as a local produce. A 2.5 percent import duty must be applied on free items coming to TT under the import tariff. If the Government does this it could remove the seven percent online tax and save jobs.

Some shipping agents are collecting between 6.85 and 6.90 percent for freight charges, adding to the high cost of goods and sending up the cost of living, as everything imported costs more at the grocery etc. This must be reduced now.

Immediate action is required to reduce costs to taxpayers.

Gordon Laughlin Westmoorings