T&T National Budget 2018-2019

[toyolink]

Well the Minister Of Finance has graced us with no new taxes for the next 2 years.
I personally just couldn't bring myself to celebrate because the increases over the last few years are still quite burden-some.
One wonders who really could take much more of these increases with a smile.
Btw elections aint too far away.
……..I wonder if Govt about to do the standard election dance?

[pugboy]

Pure election antics

[Numb3r4]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

[supernedd]

if we get clean diesel .. i want a new model van .. hahaahaha

[The_Honourable]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

[shake d livin wake d dead]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

[maj. tom]

I have always wondered... why didn't they use a better refinery process to achieve better quality diesel? After so many years, it was easier to close Petrotrin and import it than improve the process? Didn't we have the resources, engineers, scientists and international refining standards to do these things?

Anyone could share insight on why exactly our diesel was high sulphur?

[Kronik]

I have always wondered... why didn't they use a better refinery process to achieve better quality diesel? After so many years, it was easier to close Petrotrin and import it than improve the process? Didn't we have the resources, engineers, scientists and international refining standards to do these things?

Anyone could share insight on why exactly our diesel was high sulphur?

They were building the ultra low sulphur diesel plant, it was not finished, it was one of the big upgrades that were happening

[ADONI]

I have always wondered... why didn't they use a better refinery process to achieve better quality diesel? After so many years, it was easier to close Petrotrin and import it than improve the process? Didn't we have the resources, engineers, scientists and international refining standards to do these things?

Anyone could share insight on why exactly our diesel was high sulphur?

I think is cause of the crude oil we have. I believe thats y we still have to import crude from outside to mix it with our crude oil.

A lil more insight here.

https://rentar.com/best-crude-oil-world ... er-others/

[maj. tom]

^interesting read. They actually used to taste the oil from a new well to rate it "sweet" or "sour"!!!

[The_Honourable]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

This is a good one...

"If you could buy $400,000 hilux, you can pay $1 more for gas"

[Slartibartfast]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

This is a good one...

"If you could buy $400,000 hilux, you can pay $1 more for gas"

And what about the other >90% of the population that don't buy Hilux new or call a bottle when they go into a club? Or we not bothering to actually discuss facts anymore? I kind of tired seeing our local issues dumbed-down as much as you lot are

[death365]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

This is a good one...

"If you could buy $400,000 hilux, you can pay $1 more for gas"

And what about the other >90% of the population that don't buy Hilux new or call a bottle when they go into a club? Or we not bothering to actually discuss facts anymore? I kind of tired seeing our local issues dumbed-down as much as you lot are

well said ... thank you.

35- 40 liters of gas = $ 35 - 40 / week * 52 weeks = 1820 - 2080 additionally per year that's no small change

[Mr President]

^those are good numbers. the working class is the usual casualty of most budgets

[Mr President]

I have always wondered... why didn't they use a better refinery process to achieve better quality diesel? After so many years, it was easier to close Petrotrin and import it than improve the process? Didn't we have the resources, engineers, scientists and international refining standards to do these things?

Anyone could share insight on why exactly our diesel was high sulphur?

They were building the ultra low sulphur diesel plant, it was not finished, it was one of the big upgrades that were happening

Reportedly 99% complete with the exception that the foundation was not built to specifications....

[The_Honourable]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

This is a good one...

"If you could buy $400,000 hilux, you can pay $1 more for gas"

And what about the other >90% of the population that don't buy Hilux new or call a bottle when they go into a club? Or we not bothering to actually discuss facts anymore? I kind of tired seeing our local issues dumbed-down as much as you lot are

well said ... thank you.

35- 40 liters of gas = $ 35 - 40 / week * 52 weeks = 1820 - 2080 additionally per year that's no small change

That is what them pnm saying on facebook, i watching and laughing. Now they blaming taxi drivers for carrying up the price ignoring clean what happened monday. Anyways, more pnm logic...

"Trinis doh know how to maintain dey vehicle."

"People need to learn how to use dey AC... dey doh have to drive with the windows up all d time."

"Why yuh sitting in the car with the AC on where you can stand up outside the car and wait."

[Redress10]

So we straight up refusing to pay the actual price for goods and services now.

Fuel prices didn't go "up". Some of the subsidy was removed.

Where the money suppose to come to pay for the subsidy?

The reason trinis can't riot for this is because this isn't a demand and supply situation. In other countries their prices are set my market forces so the "riot" is the market responding to the new price causing the price to decrease. Why that so hard for you all to understand.

You've been paying an artificially decreased price for all these years and have the nerve to talk about "rioting". Fork outta here with that logic.

[Redress10]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

Toots talk...No amount of improvements in public transport go ever change a culture where a car is viewed as a status symbol and not an economic tool for productivity. You playing like you eh know.

The first thing politicians go and do when they get in parliament is use tax breaks to purchase new vehicles. Politicians in Uk use public transportation. Culture is a major setback in these little islands.

Imagine what 29 billion could have done for a public transport system.

[Redress10]

Imbutt said the money saved will be used to fund Social Programs including the food card system. By subsidizing the "most vulnerable in society", isn't the Government encouraging the dependency syndrome? If the State is taking care of these people what motivation do they have to improve their situation in life? I thought that is what Sh!tkicker and dem wanted to get away from?

No problem with the rationale for removing subsidies yunno, just be fair — remove all and done the story...

Remember there is a difference between poor/destitute and delinquent. Ideally, when we speaking about these types of people we are talking about the ones who are disabled etc. There are actual poor people in this country but I think they become invisible due to the high visibility of people who living Beetham etc. People living Beetham etc are not necessarily "poor".

So there is no dependency there but "survival". Those are the people you want to protect and make available economic transfers. The type of people whose children would get one meal a deal from school feeding programme etc. I went to school with people who only meal would be school feeding programme. That is a reality for some.

What we allow is corruption to seep in so food card programme being used by people more than capable.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

Toots talk...No amount of improvements in public transport go ever change a culture where a car is viewed as a status symbol and not an economic tool for productivity. You playing like you eh know.

The first thing politicians go and do when they get in parliament is use tax breaks to purchase new vehicles. Politicians in Uk use public transportation. Culture is a major setback in these little islands.

Imagine what 29 billion could have done for a public transport system.

This is where you blinded by local politics...you really feel our politicians would have given a taught about improving public transport with that money??

Our politicians only look for projects where they benefit in the end...the citizens dont benefit

[l33t2]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

Toots talk...No amount of improvements in public transport go ever change a culture where a car is viewed as a status symbol and not an economic tool for productivity. You playing like you eh know.

The first thing politicians go and do when they get in parliament is use tax breaks to purchase new vehicles. Politicians in Uk use public transportation. Culture is a major setback in these little islands.

Imagine what 29 billion could have done for a public transport system.

I think I was the only UNC supporter who was a fan of the rapid rail. But even if we had a rapid rail, most car owners would never use it. Unless gas was selling at the international market rate.

[supernedd]

"If yuh cud buy ah carib and johnny walker, you cud pay fuh supa"

ent....if yuh could go in ah club and call down ah bottle for the whole crew....$1 extra for gas is nothing

n that.is why the gov't does walk over us . as something raise ..we dont take a stand ..we jus give in n take shaft

[pugboy]

Well he didn't tax mas or boat rides

[INHUMAN]

Well he didn't tax mas or boat rides

Or jordans, tiida, kfc, johnsons baby powder and brazilian horsehair.

[The_Honourable]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

Toots talk...No amount of improvements in public transport go ever change a culture where a car is viewed as a status symbol and not an economic tool for productivity. You playing like you eh know.

The first thing politicians go and do when they get in parliament is use tax breaks to purchase new vehicles. Politicians in Uk use public transportation. Culture is a major setback in these little islands.

Imagine what 29 billion could have done for a public transport system.

I think I was the only UNC supporter who was a fan of the rapid rail. But even if we had a rapid rail, most car owners would never use it. Unless gas was selling at the international market rate.

Keep in mind that the IMF in their consultations in late 2015 told imbert no. Then the IADB blank the government telling them they will not support the rapid rail BUT they were willing to support and fund the BRT or Bus Rapid Transit System, as the IADB found it to be superior in 10/14 key criterias then matching in two others versus a rail system.

So even if we did pump money in the rapid rail, high chance we would loose money in the long run especially if the tickets were to be subsidized. The PP government was planning to go thru with it and since politics rules (my idea vs your idea and who gets the credit), that idea not coming into reality. Also too, the kickback would be more for the rapid rail.

If the government really cared about the transport system, they would have taken the IADB offer.

[Numb3r4]

Man talking about other countries...I used to happily pay meh $4usd for diesel while in mia....but standard of living was way better...with $100usd I rolling outa publix with two trolley filled with groceries...I never drove on a road and felt my vehicle was going to fall apart...and the list goes on...


So doh be comparing trinidad to other places...how come yuh aint talk about all dem countries where people does bun down buildings for ah lil gas hike.

Never had to buy gas at all the public transport and taxi services were good enough, no need to rent a car.

Got no problem with a gas rate hike if the public transport system was better.

Toots talk...No amount of improvements in public transport go ever change a culture where a car is viewed as a status symbol and not an economic tool for productivity. You playing like you eh know.

The first thing politicians go and do when they get in parliament is use tax breaks to purchase new vehicles. Politicians in Uk use public transportation. Culture is a major setback in these little islands.

Imagine what 29 billion could have done for a public transport system.

Like i said IF........

It is true though.....what you said.

Wait what about a bus rapid transit system.....couldn't the PBR be modified to that and see?

That was discussed on this forum elsewhere....not the PBR specifically but the use a BRT.

Anyone care to comment?

[jhonnieblue]

https://youtu.be/cU6ImWY4IBc

The BRT is a very nice easy project to implement that e could model after bogata.
I think the cost benefit really sells it and once we tier it with a urban public transit system it could be a feasible solution to traffic problems

[shake d livin wake d dead]

allyuh know by the next mid year review super gonna reach close to the price of premium right

[mad]

Well he didn't tax mas or boat rides

Or jordans, tiida, kfc, johnsons baby powder and brazilian horsehair.

Take win

[Slartibartfast]

So we straight up refusing to pay the actual price for goods and services now.

Fuel prices didn't go "up". Some of the subsidy was removed.

Where the money suppose to come to pay for the subsidy?

The reason trinis can't riot for this is because this isn't a demand and supply situation. In other countries their prices are set my market forces so the "riot" is the market responding to the new price causing the price to decrease. Why that so hard for you all to understand.

You've been paying an artificially decreased price for all these years and have the nerve to talk about "rioting". Fork outta here with that logic.

Here's the thing. I'm not really opposed to removing the subsidy. I agree that ideally we should be paying market price. What I really have a problem with is the way it is being done.

1. Fuel price has a major impact on our economy. Every time it raises, inflation goes up. You have an economy based around certain prices for goods and services. Those prices get increased with each raise in fuel but wages stagnated. The price of everything going up but the amount most people earning is not.

2. A lot of public transport relies on super gas. Only buses and maxis use diesel and they only travel in major travel routes. The vast majority of minor public transport routes are done by privately owned (H or PH) cars. The price of fuel directly impacts the cost of this transport which directly impacts the daily cost of travel for lots of people.

3. They also raising taxes on a lot of other things. So people paying already paying more for everything, earning the same amount and they want to charge people even more again.

4. Public transport is still total crap. They are trying their hardest to make it harder to own a vehicle by raising taxes but not fixing the public transport system. Lots of people don't bother owning vehicles in countries where public transport is affordable and reliable.

5. An additional slap in the face is the fact that they are burdening the population with a lot of the repercussions of their decisions but they are isolated from the repercussions themselves. They not saying "we" have to tighten our belt. It's more of a "tighten allyuh belt cuz we need more money again". They don't use public transport, they don't use their own cars everyday, they don't pay for gas, they are exempt from a lot of the taxes we pay.... they don't even sit down in traffic like the rest of us. PBR and police escort right through. Then they doing other fiscally irresponsible crap like spending money to finish a stadium when a brand new hospital ready to be opened right up the road and people complaining about out healthcare system for years and doctors complaining about unavailability of jobs. They don't even use our public healthcare system. Our tax dollars being used to fly them out for treatment. Didn't something like $1,000,000 get spent on Cuffie or something? When he had a stroke or something. I could be wrong. Somebody correct me there.

With that said. One good thing that both sides have been working on (minus all the corruption involved) is decentralising POS. You can solve a lot of traffic problems by removing the reason to travel in the first place.

I just find it funny that they make decisions that impact the lives of all of us but make sure that through the use of our tax dollars they are always insulated from the same effects.

TL:DR The removal of the fuel subsidy is part of a larger problem of them creating more problems before implementing ways to cushion the effects of it all while making sure that they set up themselves comfortably.

Food for thought. Correct me where I am wrong and I will update what I said.

P.S. Also, this might come as a surprise to people that didn't do CXC maths but the majority of people in the country can't afford to buy a Hilix, or a new car, or play carnival or call a bottle every time they go to a bar. A lot of people traveling and have kids and struggling and probably buying a 2 stale carib when they can afford to actually lime. If you waiting for the Hilux crew to start struggling before you admit that a lot of people already have things hard then you need to open up your eyes some more.Not you specifically eh Redress... just people with that opinion.