Pity for the less fortunate, a greater focus on agriculture and an answer to the nation's spiraling crime problem are among the things southern business associations and chambers hope to see in tomorrow's budget.
The T&T Guardian spoke with the heads of various organisations in south Trinidad in the run-up to the budget to get their views on what they hope and fear may be presented in the 2016/2017 budget.
Although San Fernando Business Association president, Daphne Bartlett, said crime remained major problem, she is calling for more accountability in the Ministry of National Security.
“The Ministry of National Security gets the lion's share in the budget almost every year and yet the crime rate is continuing to worsen.
“Can the ministry account for the money they have been allocated? What is it used for other than to pay salaries?”
“Crime keeps spiraling out of control and it seems as though nothing is being done to keep it in check despite the money being pumped into the ministry annually,” Bartlett said.
Instead, she believes the largest chunk of this budget should go to agriculture.
“We want to see the Government start to put emphasis on agriculture and start to grow food to feed the nation,” Bartlett said. “They (government) should take the lead from other countries on how to move forward.
Take China for example, they recently invested $400 million in agriculture.
“Simple foods, like ground provision, should not be imported. We should be able to grow our own.
We want to see what the Government has planned to boost the sector and encourage its development,” she added. Bartlett is urging Government to go easy on citizens for the budget and hold their hand on implementing more taxes.
“I really hope there will be no more taxes added on because how much will you tax citizens? Everything we purchase we pay taxes on and you don't need to distress the nation any more than it is right now,” she said.
At the same time, she called on fellow citizens to be more productive in their everyday lives.
“We want the Government to be lenient but we need to be productive as citizens. The Government can take make-work programmes like URP and CEPEP and put its employees into agriculture.
We as citizens need to be very patriotic and work towards the development of the country,” she added.
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE
President of the Siparia Chamber of Commerce, Keith Sankar, echoed Bartlett's opinions that focus should be placed on agriculture but said he did not know whether there was really a commitment to do so by those in power.
“Ideas to focus more on agriculture have been touted for years but nothing has been happening on the ground. I am not referring to this Government alon, but successive governments in the past.
“I don't know but it seems the people who import the food have significant sway on the political landscape. Presently all we are getting is lip service about buying local and the people who are importing the food are having a field day,” Sankar said. He complained about the lack of incentives and support for farmers who were at the mercy of uncertain market demand and supply.
“Farmers feel like they can't make a profit right now and there is a big issue where the prices of goods drop drastically when there is an influx of certain items on the market. The whole idea of processing, canning and storing foods has been talked about for years but no one has been able to get the wheels turning,” he said.
He called for allocations to complete the stalled Point Fortin highway project and repair primary and secondary roads in South. “We would like to see the Point Fortin highway project restarted and completed and money allocated for repairing the primary and secondary in the south western peninsula. The roads are really in a deplorable condition. The Mosquito Creek is a disaster waiting to happen.”
COMPLETE MEGA-PROJECTS
President of the Penal/Debe Chamber of Commerce, Shiva Roopnarine, raised similar concerns of crime and social equality but also took the opportunity to call on Government to finish major projects with the Penal/Debe district.
“Contractors not being paid for work done continues to have a crippling ripple effect on the businesses of Penal and Debe. Unemployment is higher than before and under-employment is very demotivating to young and aspiring graduates,” he said.
“One year later and the following are still incomplete: UWI South Campus, Shiva Boys College, Parvati Girls' College, Penal Fire Station and the sporting complex in Clarke Road... the chamber is hoping all of these will be completed,” he said. He also called for the resumption of the Point Fortin highway project and the introduction of a light manufacturing estate in the area.
“The chamber applauds the Government’s drive to stimulate and engage the manufacturing sector to assist in alleviating unemployment.
“We eagerly await assistance and will continue to advocate in the establishment of factory shells and available lands to develop a light manufacturing estate in Penal/Debe.
“This will not only assist Penal/Debe but also the entire region. Debe is now poised to become the hub and gateway to Point Fortin and the southwestern peninsula,” he added.