T&T National Budget 2018-2019

[The_Honourable]

Meanwhile... PNM logic on facebook

"It will benefit the poor because poor people have no car"

"If you can buy doubles or a carnival costume, you can pay for the increase." (Same argument used for property tax)

"Saudi Arabia raised their gas prices too to balance the budget."

"If we was living in the US we would pay full price and not complain."

"If you cyah afford a doubles, buy a pie."

"If Kamla didn't teef out all d money..."

[rebound]

MEANWHILE AFTER GAS PRICE INCREASE IN TRINIDAD

yup....nail on the head

Y beat up cause a subsidy was removed? Is not like the price was artificially increased. A subsidy was removed, so the price is coming closer to what the actual price is. The forking subsidy used to get paid anyhow. Is all of us used to pay for the subsidy whether we drive 30 km or 3000 km. Let's stop promoting BS.

All subsidies and social services need to be reviewed. This hand out mentality that was designed for political points is damaging us.

Subsidy on cooking gas should have been removed as well ent? Ttec rates adjusted as well?

Correct if we were to follow that clown's philosophy, we should pay taxes and expect nothing in return......he is happy with a oneway street arrangement for some twisted reason.

Clown you haven't even begun to play taxes so just be happy that life in Tnt still so sweet. Funny how people all over the world live without subsidies and still manage to thrive but you all here in tnt get a little closer to paying the market price of fuel and all hell wanna break lose.

Some of you all are downright irrational. Subsidies are not "free". YOU still pay, that's the whole point. Government pays and that means YOU. You really comfortable with government spending billions of dollars over the years to cover the consumption of fuel? Fuel is literally burning money. Why is it that everywhere else in the world is progressing but men here still acting as though money in trinidad growing on trees.

All subsidies need to be reviewed. People already saying that TTEC, WASA rates etc are not the real rates hence they can't be profitable. This level of entitlement is nauseating. Why trinis don't ask for subsidies whenever they go overseas.

Well leave d forking country if you vex you getting subsidies nah.....And dont tell me what I have to settle for!!

[Redress10]

The point is where is the money going to come from to pay for the subsidies? Oil and gas? HA

It can't come from tax neither so where the money coming from? Between ya leg?

Jackarse. We need to review all these policies and political gifts that were put in place for nothing more than votes. That is the whole point of this.

Free healthcare, education, university etc are also subsidies. Even make work jobs like Petrotrin and Cepep is a form of subsidy.

We are a socialist state and don't even want to recognise it. Every year education and crime getting billions of dollars in the budget without fail. Every year crime raising and children failing sea and cxc. That is a form of subsidy as well. As long as there is no return on investment, is money going down the drain.

Where is the return of investment in this country? When will this madness end?

[Monkey Man]

These fergs on the facebook. Bawlin

“Green power to d wurll”

“Everybody jus hadda buy a hybrid and dey good”

Meanwhile the traveling man hadda take bullle

[bess almera]

The point is where is the money going to come from to pay for the subsidies? Oil and gas? HA

It can't come from tax neither so where the money coming from? Between ya leg?

Jackarse. We need to review all these policies and political gifts that were put in place for nothing more than votes. That is the whole point of this.

Free healthcare, education, university etc are also subsidies. Even make work jobs like Petrotrin and Cepep is a form of subsidy.

We are a socialist state and don't even want to recognise it. Every year education and crime getting billions of dollars in the budget without fail. Every year crime raising and children failing sea and cxc. That is a form of subsidy as well. As long as there is no return on investment, is money going down the drain.

Where is the return of investment in this country? When will this madness end?

Bro, you’re wasting your time trying to explain to the masses...this is the ole talk forum, not the make sense forum....just saying.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Meanwhile... PNM logic on facebook

"It will benefit the poor because poor people have no car"

"If you can buy doubles or a carnival costume, you can pay for the increase." (Same argument used for property tax)

"Saudi Arabia raised their gas prices too to balance the budget."

"If we was living in the US we would pay full price and not complain."

"If you cyah afford a doubles, buy a pie."

"If Kamla didn't teef out all d money..."

this not getting old

[De Dragon]

The point is where is the money going to come from to pay for the subsidies? Oil and gas? HA

It can't come from tax neither so where the money coming from? Between ya leg?

Jackarse. We need to review all these policies and political gifts that were put in place for nothing more than votes. That is the whole point of this.

Free healthcare, education, university etc are also subsidies. Even make work jobs like Petrotrin and Cepep is a form of subsidy.

We are a socialist state and don't even want to recognise it. Every year education and crime getting billions of dollars in the budget without fail. Every year crime raising and children failing sea and cxc. That is a form of subsidy as well. As long as there is no return on investment, is money going down the drain.

Where is the return of investment in this country? When will this madness end?

Reasonable people know that subsidies have to go, but what also irks the fack out of the same reasonable people is how JUHN Scarfy and Impsbert rating up themselves for something that should have started, and been completed YEARS ago. These same two kants boasting about how many years they've been in politics, but none can/will take blame for what should have been recognized, and slowly chipped away from decades ago.

[rebound]

The point is where is the money going to come from to pay for the subsidies? Oil and gas? HA

It can't come from tax neither so where the money coming from? Between ya leg?

Jackarse. We need to review all these policies and political gifts that were put in place for nothing more than votes. That is the whole point of this.

Free healthcare, education, university etc are also subsidies. Even make work jobs like Petrotrin and Cepep is a form of subsidy.

We are a socialist state and don't even want to recognise it. Every year education and crime getting billions of dollars in the budget without fail. Every year crime raising and children failing sea and cxc. That is a form of subsidy as well. As long as there is no return on investment, is money going down the drain.

Where is the return of investment in this country? When will this madness end?

My issue is value for money. You make reference to other countries with higher taxes and lower to no subsidies, please also compare their infrastructure and systems available to those people when you do.

Are you satisfied that we are getting value for money?

[hydroep]

Just had to laugh at the gas to doubles comparison yes.

There is no valid basis for comparing the price of gas to any other product as a justification of how much it should cost because the answer would depend on individuals' subjective determination of the perceived value of products.

For example, a 2-tablet pack of Panadol is what $ 4 -$ 5, the same as a liter of super. Which is more important, medicine or gas? So which one should cost more?...

[screwbash]

Just had to laugh at the gas to doubles comparison yes.

There is no valid basis for comparing the price of gas to any other product as a justification of how much it should cost because the answer would depend on individuals' subjective determination of the perceived value of products.

For example, a 2-tablet pack of Panadol is what $ 4 -$ 5, the same as a liter of super. Which is more important, medicine or gas? So which one should cost more?...

ah 1.5 bottle ah water is $6

[mad]

MEANWHILE AFTER GAS PRICE INCREASE IN TRINIDAD

yup....nail on the head

Y beat up cause a subsidy was removed? Is not like the price was artificially increased. A subsidy was removed, so the price is coming closer to what the actual price is. The forking subsidy used to get paid anyhow. Is all of us used to pay for the subsidy whether we drive 30 km or 3000 km. Let's stop promoting BS.

All subsidies and social services need to be reviewed. This hand out mentality that was designed for political points is damaging us.

Subsidy on cooking gas should have been removed as well ent? Ttec rates adjusted as well?

Correct if we were to follow that clown's philosophy, we should pay taxes and expect nothing in return......he is happy with a oneway street arrangement for some twisted reason.

Clown you haven't even begun to play taxes so just be happy that life in Tnt still so sweet. Funny how people all over the world live without subsidies and still manage to thrive but you all here in tnt get a little closer to paying the market price of fuel and all hell wanna break lose.

Some of you all are downright irrational. Subsidies are not "free". YOU still pay, that's the whole point. Government pays and that means YOU. You really comfortable with government spending billions of dollars over the years to cover the consumption of fuel? Fuel is literally burning money. Why is it that everywhere else in the world is progressing but men here still acting as though money in trinidad growing on trees.

All subsidies need to be reviewed. People already saying that TTEC, WASA rates etc are not the real rates hence they can't be profitable. This level of entitlement is nauseating. Why trinis don't ask for subsidies whenever they go overseas.

The taxes you pay are used by the government to invest back into the economy, and provide goods and services for the benefit of the people. So the taxes you pay are used to pay for:

works and transport
education
health
law and order
housing
culture, media and sport
trade and industry
environment, food and rural affairs
overseas development and defence.

In the developed countries, the people pay a large amount of taxes, but they get a lot in return.
But in Trinidad, you have to ask yourself, based on the taxes the people are paying currently, are we getting or seeing the return in our investment, and if we are to increase the amount of taxes we pay, will there be an increase in the returns.

[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.

[mad]

And that is clean clear diesel eh, not like the WASA coloured diesel we getting here in Trinidad.
On top of that they want us to pay market price for this sheit diesel we getting here that damaging engine.

[rebound]

Return on Investment? I pay USD3000/yr in taxes for a property in the US (in a considerably small town) but unlike my property here, I did not have to install a camera system, burglar proof the entire house, build a 7 foot wall around the property or engage a security firm to monitor the house. I am also able to sit in my porch without constantly looking over my shoulder......I might be wrong but, thats value for money.

[rebound]

And that is clean clear diesel eh, not like the WASA coloured diesel we getting here in Trinidad.
On top of that they want us to pay market price for this sheit diesel we getting here that damaging engine.

You are correct....all we need is value, I dont think anyone has an issue with paying for it.

[Premchand1976]

Correct. Value for money....it's that simple.

[Slartibartfast]

All these "countries" people comparing Trinidad and Tobago to. Did anyone else compare the minimum wage and average income? If you want to talk about the US I know I make about 1/4 of what I would make if I was and American working in the same company in the same position that I am in right now. If my wages were also adjusted I would not be complaining at all. I would tell them remove the subsidy yesterday.

Why do we only compare ourselves to the worst of other places? Would we only be satisfied when we can say that we have the worst of everything? Then we can finally sit back and say "Yes... you know what.. you right... we do have it better". What is the point of these comparisons?

The fact is that Trinidad and Tobago is on the decline and has been since the turn of the century. I find it idiotic that people think it makes more sense trying to justify how much worse we can get but talking down to people that want to consider ways in which we can get better.

Like I always say. T&T is a paradise. The only problem we have is the people.

[maj. tom]

that's how people get on the hamster wheel when massa giving them the whip.

[teems1]

Return on Investment? I pay USD3000/yr in taxes for a property in the US (in a considerably small town) but unlike my property here, I did not have to install a camera system, burglar proof the entire house, build a 7 foot wall around the property or engage a security firm to monitor the house. I am also able to sit in my porch without constantly looking over my shoulder......I might be wrong but, thats value for money.

In the US, a huge chunk of your property tax goes towards the repaying of the federal bond(s) taken out for the construction/maintenance of the public school in the area.

It's a huge reason why some houses a few meters away from each other would sell for drastically different amounts, because they fall in different school zones.

Depending on where you live, that dictates the school your child goes to. No common entrance/prestige school nonsense.

Property tax in the US is a rare type of tax where you see your money working for you immediately in your local area. If you have no children to send to school then you might have a reason to complain.

It's not like Trinidad where all the funds will go into one basket, where it is only spent to develop red/yellow areas depending on who is in charge of local government.

[mad]

And that is clean clear diesel eh, not like the WASA coloured diesel we getting here in Trinidad.
On top of that they want us to pay market price for this sheit diesel we getting here that damaging engine.

You are correct....all we need is value, I dont think anyone has an issue with paying for it.

Exactly, taxes is an investment, and if we get good returns on our investment then we would not have a problem paying it.
But if we paying a ridiculous amount of taxes, and there is no returns, then it would seem that our taxes are just filling the pockets of the rich.

[gastly369]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.trinid ... 8.amp.html

[WarrLordd]

[Joshie23]

All these "countries" people comparing Trinidad and Tobago to. Did anyone else compare the minimum wage and average income? If you want to talk about the US I know I make about 1/4 of what I would make if I was and American working in the same company in the same position that I am in right now. If my wages were also adjusted I would not be complaining at all. I would tell them remove the subsidy yesterday.

Why do we only compare ourselves to the worst of other places? Would we only be satisfied when we can say that we have the worst of everything? Then we can finally sit back and say "Yes... you know what.. you right... we do have it better". What is the point of these comparisons?

The fact is that Trinidad and Tobago is on the decline and has been since the turn of the century. I find it idiotic that people think it makes more sense trying to justify how much worse we can get but talking down to people that want to consider ways in which we can get better.

Like I always say. T&T is a paradise. The only problem we have is the people.

Exceptional post.

[WarrLordd]

That's trinidad for you. Let this government RIP it apart and sit back and clap great is the pnm.

But when KFC raise they price and take away 20 dollars special hold riot beat up about it heavy on social till they bring it back for $25.
I remember seeing some quotes that people couldnt feed their children no more and all kinda thing.

[The_Honourable]

COLM: NO MORE TAX HIKES UNTIL AFTER 2020



The country can breathe a sigh of relief as Finance Minister Colm Imbert has assured that there will be no increases in taxes for the remainder of this government's term in office.

Imbert gave the assurance while speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce's post-budget forum.

He said no increases in taxes were announced in the 2019 budget despite advice from the IMF that taxes should be increased on alcohol and tobacco.

He said this decision was taken as increased tax on these items have not led to an increase in revenue for the government.

The Finance Minister said the government feels it has increased taxes to a stable level and no further increases will be made for the next two years.

This includes Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Value Added Tax etc.

However he noted that the price of super gasoline has been increased from $3.97 to $4.97 per litre as the government moves to reduce the fuel subsidy and redistribute revenue in other areas.

Imbert said he believes the public understands the measures announced in Monday's budget presentation.

"I am quite pleased that the population has understood what we have done," he said.

Source: https://www.tv6tnt.com/news/local/colm- ... 01b57.html

[Les Bain]

Guess we back to normal. Saw a bunch of half hearted gas is expensive memes on social media the day after budget and that was it.

I guess the posters don't want their conscience to hurt them when they walking to Eddie Hart for the big 2020 election rally for PM Remus and his band of merry men.

[mitch1980]

some think that the Gas hike was unreasonable and unexpected.
this was told to the public a few years now.
the amount will cost say 60 dollars more a tank on avg.
think about the next to nothing price we enjoyed for 16 plus years.
the subsidy was 29 billion in 16 years. while we all got the subsidy no one ever said anything about it as they enjoyed it to the max.
that 29 billion could have been used for a partial rail system from east -west , north to south .
we have to live within our means.


i support some aspects of the budget gas price included.
however there is no real revenue earning venture for Trinidad.
seems like every govt in their 3rd-4th year reign is setting a budget of "goodies" for their next election.
too much is spent on "DEPENDENCY SYNDROME " schemes like Cepep and URP and all the other welfare grants which make people get lazy on the free min. money than being ambitious to work because they have have to.

true they get free education up to tertiary but many refuse to be trained or schooled.
it is a sad reality of Trinidad. We can become so much more but are extremely lazy.

[matr1x]

So pnm folks justify all the foolishness because is dem ppl.


My question is, in the first oil boom....where did all the money go?

[hydroep]

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...

[Dizzy28]

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...

One has to really be a heartless sob to want grants to disabled people and food cards to the poor removed just because they going to be paying $40 to $60 more per fill up and saltier than the Dead Sea cuz of it.