ONE chairman took his job seriously and went after the illegal diesel racket in Trinidad and Tobago to stop the gas stations and other illegal bunkering from taking place under his tenure from 2010 to 2015.
The operations in illegal bunkering and selling of diesel at the time were costing the Government more than $4 billion it was estimated. A diesel smuggling racket in which the subsidised fuel was exchanged for guns and drugs caused a serious backlash on that past chairman at National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NP). He paid dearly, with his life and his family’s lives being targeted by criminals involved in the diesel racket where his home was firebombed with him and his family inside. It was alleged that a notorious gang leader was fingered as the person responsible for firebombing the home of NP Chairman on Carnival Monday 2013 however no arrest was ever made and to this day the person or persons involved remains at large.
While one minister removed the subsidiary partially on all the fuel and even the crime syndicates involved in illegal diesel racketeering at the time seem to not care at all. Was it because they know they cannot touch his administration or is it that his administration allegedly has more ties to the criminal underworld than the previous one? A minister laughingly said, “I raised fuel prices and not much opposition, so I raised it again and they eh riot yet!,” implying that he can do anything he wants and all citizens will have to take it and he was confident that there would be no repercussions from anyone, not even the people allegedly involved in the illegal diesel trade.
While I’m glad he can do this without fear or favour, I wonder how come no one ever asked the question of how one person can try to do what is right and be attacked so viciously and another person not even given a second thought. The power the current administration wields over the citizens is overwhelming and yet crime, drugs, illegal gun smuggling and murders continue unabated. If they can do anything they want and even the criminal know that they cannot attack them, why can’t they implement strategies to curb the murder rate and crime in T&T?
The finance minister announced an increase again in the price of super and premium gasoline by $1 and diesel 50 cents a litre.
The new fuel price structure is as follows:
Premium gas – $7.75 per litre;
Super -$6.97 per litre;
Diesel – $4.41 per litre; and
Kerosene $4.50 litre
In 2016 when the finance minister increased the fuel price, Imbert to all appearances jokingly said: “I increased the price of fuel by 15 per cent and then realised that it was not enough.
“I came back again in April and raised it by another 15 per cent and I came back just a few weeks ago and raised it by another 15 per cent… they haven’t rioted yet.” A most insensitive and uncaring comment where he sits in his ivory tower and pulls the strings that affect the whole society with little care or consideration for the average person on the street.
The current administration believes they can do anything and the citizens will take it. Regardless of the issue, they know they will have no repercussions, one wonders how they know this but it is in fact the case. There are many issues to consider but unless the system of their governance and their performance are reviewed and changed, we must continue to accept the harsh reality that the current government can do whatever they want and impose more hardships on citizens and their way of running things will prevail, as it has for 60 years.
If the opposition makes good suggestions of what constitutes good governance, the current administration will dismiss it and belittle it as rubbish as they have in the budget debate on Friday last. They will never embrace the recommendations or suggestions because they believe nothing of any good comes from the opposition and they are the only brilliant politicians in Trinidad and Tobago. So, too, the call from the opposition now that the fuel hike is too high for citizens to tolerate and will lead to increase in food prices, transportation and inflation across the board. Their lack of education, empathy and understanding goes without saying. The minister of finance knows best and ultimately the prime minister.
When will this administration demonstrate their ability to listen to the people’s voice, and show they genuinely care for the citizens in these hard economic times?
Neil Gosine is an insurance executive. He is also the treasurer of the UNC and a former Chairman of the National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration MBA, BSC in Mathematics and a BA in Administrative Studies. The views and comments expressed in this column are not necessarily those of AZP News, a Division of Complete Image Limited.
‘They haven’t Rioted Yet’
ONE chairman took his job seriously and went after the illegal diesel racket in Trinidad and Tobago to stop the gas stations and other illegal bunkering from taking place under his tenure from 2010 to 2015.
The operations in illegal bunkering and selling of diesel at the time were costing the Government more than $4 billion it was estimated. A diesel smuggling racket in which the subsidised fuel was exchanged for guns and drugs caused a serious backlash on that past chairman at National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NP). He paid dearly, with his life and his family’s lives being targeted by criminals involved in the diesel racket where his home was firebombed with him and his family inside. It was alleged that a notorious gang leader was fingered as the person responsible for firebombing the home of NP Chairman on Carnival Monday 2013 however no arrest was ever made and to this day the person or persons involved remains at large.
While one minister removed the subsidiary partially on all the fuel and even the crime syndicates involved in illegal diesel racketeering at the time seem to not care at all. Was it because they know they cannot touch his administration or is it that his administration allegedly has more ties to the criminal underworld than the previous one? A minister laughingly said, “I raised fuel prices and not much opposition, so I raised it again and they eh riot yet!,” implying that he can do anything he wants and all citizens will have to take it and he was confident that there would be no repercussions from anyone, not even the people allegedly involved in the illegal diesel trade.
While I’m glad he can do this without fear or favour, I wonder how come no one ever asked the question of how one person can try to do what is right and be attacked so viciously and another person not even given a second thought. The power the current administration wields over the citizens is overwhelming and yet crime, drugs, illegal gun smuggling and murders continue unabated. If they can do anything they want and even the criminal know that they cannot attack them, why can’t they implement strategies to curb the murder rate and crime in T&T?
The finance minister announced an increase again in the price of super and premium gasoline by $1 and diesel 50 cents a litre.
The new fuel price structure is as follows:
In 2016 when the finance minister increased the fuel price, Imbert to all appearances jokingly said: “I increased the price of fuel by 15 per cent and then realised that it was not enough.
“I came back again in April and raised it by another 15 per cent and I came back just a few weeks ago and raised it by another 15 per cent… they haven’t rioted yet.” A most insensitive and uncaring comment where he sits in his ivory tower and pulls the strings that affect the whole society with little care or consideration for the average person on the street.
The current administration believes they can do anything and the citizens will take it. Regardless of the issue, they know they will have no repercussions, one wonders how they know this but it is in fact the case. There are many issues to consider but unless the system of their governance and their performance are reviewed and changed, we must continue to accept the harsh reality that the current government can do whatever they want and impose more hardships on citizens and their way of running things will prevail, as it has for 60 years.
If the opposition makes good suggestions of what constitutes good governance, the current administration will dismiss it and belittle it as rubbish as they have in the budget debate on Friday last. They will never embrace the recommendations or suggestions because they believe nothing of any good comes from the opposition and they are the only brilliant politicians in Trinidad and Tobago. So, too, the call from the opposition now that the fuel hike is too high for citizens to tolerate and will lead to increase in food prices, transportation and inflation across the board. Their lack of education, empathy and understanding goes without saying. The minister of finance knows best and ultimately the prime minister.
When will this administration demonstrate their ability to listen to the people’s voice, and show they genuinely care for the citizens in these hard economic times?
Neil Gosine is an insurance executive. He is also the treasurer of the UNC and a former Chairman of the National Petroleum Marketing Company of Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration MBA, BSC in Mathematics and a BA in Administrative Studies. The views and comments expressed in this column are not necessarily those of AZP News, a Division of Complete Image Limited.