The Government has taken a US$51 million loan to help combat non-communicable diseases, says Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.

He said at least $8 billion have already been spent treating patients suffering from life-style diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Speaking at the close of a two-day seminar at the 23 annual medical and research conference yesterday, in his address titled “Healthy Me, Healthy You Healthy T&T” the minister said a large portion of the national budget has been spent fighting NCD’s.

He said to combat the diseases “all the stars must align”.

Those stars included the political will, realistic plan and funding. The funding, he said, came from an Inter-American Development Bank loan. The political will comes from the Cabinet-sanctioned ban of sugary drinks in schools, he said.

The realistic plan will include educational outreaches, treating the disease at the primary level so that patients will not have to seek medical attention and or operations, which he said were the secondary and tertiary levels.

Deyalsingh told his audience at the Hilton Hotel that in the past two years there have been 1,000 amputations associated with diabetes and these were only above and below the knee amputations.

He said this figure is “alarming” and hoped to reduce that through education and sanctions. One such sanction was the no sugary drinks in schools which will be followed by the banning of soft drinks from vending machines at all health institutions.

This latest endeavour is still in the drafting phase and will be rolled out within the coming weeks.

The health minister said people in the country were digging themselves an early grave with their fingers, forks and spoons and doing so while wobbling on one leg.

He said he received political backlash from the food and beverage suppliers for his stance in schools regarding sugary drinks adding: “I am not concerned with their financial interests”.

Asked about his desire for his ministry in today’s budgetary following his speech, the Health Minister said he will be grateful for whatever he receives and will make the most of it.

He said last year his ministry was able to save $75 million by switching drug suppliers.

He said that the ministry is also expecting to save more money when they switch the current process where Regional Health Authorities purchase orthopaedic supplies which is expected to become effective within a year.

The National Trade Union Centre of T&T (NATUC) has issued a warning to Government that any decision to further decrease subsidies on fuel will severely affect the working class.

The umbrella trade union body also warned that Government would face an “avalanche” of protests if such a measure was announced in today’s budget.

At a press conference held at the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, Port-of-Spain last week NATUC’s general secretary Michael Annisette said it was rumoured fuel subsidies were expected to either be reduced or removed.

“If the Government is going to take away the subsidy we are saying please do not walk that road otherwise they will face an avalanche from all the trade unions in this country.

“The removal of the subsidy would have serious implications for the working class and Government must consider this,” Annisette said.

At a forum, entitled, Spotlight on T&T’s Financial Circumstances: The Road Ahead, held last Wednesday labour leaders came under fire from various personalities at the forum, including university lecturer and economist Dr Roger Hosein, who questioned their absence from the event.

But Annisette said there was no need for unions to be present as union leaders had previously told Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a meeting two weeks ago that they would not be attending.

He said such discussions ought to be held at the National Tripartite Advisory Council level.

NATUC’s president general James Lambert who also spoke at the press conference also questioned whether the event was a “PR stunt” put on by Government to give the impression that labour was not interested in what was taking place in the country.

“The Government knew full well that we would not be attending that session and we are saying that labour must not be used. The unions have their own set of issues and we indicated all of this to the Prime Minister.”

Nirvan Maharaj, president general of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union, said the time had come for unions to no longer be treated with disdain by Government and appealed to Government to deal with “bread and butter issues” in this year’s budget.

A 26-year-old Chaguanas truck driver died in a crash yesterday after the vehicle capsized in a drain.

According to police reports, they suspected that Heenan Seecharan, of Chandanagore Road, may have fallen asleep while driving home around 5.30 am. The truck veered off the road and into the drain off the Southern Main Road near Francis Engineering.

Police said the body of the unconscious driver was pulled from the wreck by fire officers and taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said yesterday it was too early to determine what caused the crash but intend to review circuit television (CCTV) footage from nearby homes and businesses as well as take a blood sample from the dead driver to assist them with their investigations.

Investigators probing the murder of a Chinese businessman on Saturday night are trying to determine why he was shot dead by bandits although he did not put up a fight.

Officers said they will review video footage from the Rhythm Masters International Bar and Lounge at the corner of Sutton and Mucurapo streets in hope of catching the killers.

A report stated that the victim, only identified as Lee, 19, from Claxton Bay, was at the bar with another employee. Lee, who operated a roulette machine, was near the game and the bartender was behind the counter around 11.55 pm when three gunmen walked in.

They went directly to Lee and beat him to the ground, and robbed him of an unknown amount of cash. They then shot him in the back and ran out. Lee died at the scene before San Fernando police arrived.

Officers said businessmen had been renting spaces in bars to operate roulette machine around the country. The operator would usually collect bets and pay out winnings, making them easy targets for bandits. There have been several Chinese nationals murdered in recent months during robberies. Investigators said Chinese nationals continue to be easy prey because of the language barrier and the fact that they carry large amounts of cash.

A Penal grandmother accused of attempting to change a fraudulent cheque made out for the sum of over $700,000 was yesterday granted $120,000 bail.

Judy Lewis, 64, who was arrested last Friday appeared before San Fernando First Court Senior Magistrate Cherril-Ann Antoine on three charges arising out of the incident. She was allowed to obtain her freedom by depositing a cash alternative of $20,000 It is alleged on September 28, Lewis took the cheque dated September 12, in the sum of $756, 257 to First Citizens bank in Penal where she attempted to cash it.

The cheque was made out to her alleged company Village Improvement Construction Company and drawn on the account of T&T Civil Aviation Authority. It is alleged that she also uttered two false valuable securities - the banker’s cheque and a letter about an agreement between the Authority and her alleged company to pay the sum of money.

She was charged by WPC Michelle Kissoon-Singh following inquires supervised by Snr Supt Totaram Dookhie and ASP Kent Ghiysawan of the Fraud Squad.

In his bail application, Lewis’ attorney Jeevan Rampersad said his client, a mother of seven and grandmother of 14 grandchildren, is a contractor with the Forestry Division. Lewis said her scope of work includes cutting “bush” and planting trees. Rampersad said Lewis had a clean record, apart from these allegations, and suffers from an ulcerated stomach. Police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan confirmed she had no previous brushes with the law. The matter was adjourned to today and transferred to the Siparia Magistrates Court.
 

A 35-year-old man is the third person to be murdered over the weekend in the southern division. Ricardo Chinapoo died after he was shot in the chest on Sunday night at Corinth Hills, San Fernando.

Police said around 11 pm, Chinapoo was walking along Ankara Lane on his way to his girlfriend’s home at the Housing Development Corporation Settlement when a man came out of the bushes and shot him several times.

Chinapoo, of Naparima Mayaro Road, Mon Repos, subsequently died while undergoing emergency treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital. Police said Chinapoo was shot in December 2015 in Mon Repos and had gambling and narcotic-related charges before the court.

When the T&T Guardian visited his home, a woman said Chinpaoo’s mother had gone to the Forensic Science Centre, Port-of-Spain for the autopsy. She said Chinapoo had no children.

Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the killing, which is the third in the southern division within a 48-hour period.
 

Accused people whose cases were affected by the short-lived judicial appointment of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar are now being invited to join the State's interpretation lawsuit over the issue.

During the first hearing of the case before Justice Carol Gobin in the Port-of-Spain High Court, attorneys representing the Office of the Attorney General agreed to place advertisements in daily newspapers advising of the lawsuit and inviting those whose cases were left in limbo by her judicial appointment to participate.

The advertisements are to be published twice weekly over a two-week period, with the next hearing of the case being listed for December 6, in order to give those people enough time to consider their legal options.

Several attorneys representing affected accused people were present in court yesterday and were allowed by Gobin to apply to enter as interested parties. The Law Association and the Criminal Bar Association were also allowed to enter without any opposition.

As Gobin solicited views of the stakeholders affected by the debacle, Ayers-Caesar is seeking to exit the lawsuit.

Ayers-Caesar, through her attorney Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, has filed an application asking for the lawsuit to be struck out as it clashes with her ongoing judicial review lawsuit against the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC).

In the application, Maharaj is questioning Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi's decision to file the "interpretation summons", as he claims it is an abuse of process against his client as it duplicates her case.

Maharaj also contends that the lawsuit is misconceived as it is calling on the court to determine if Ayers-Caesar is still a magistrate based on the JLSC's handling of the fiasco.

Gobin did not deal with the application during yesterday's hearing as she said it would be addressed after she determines the final list of parties in the lawsuit. Ayers-Caesar, who was accompanied by her husband for the hearing, sat silently at the back of the courtroom while taking notes.

To have all restrictions removed on maxi taxis licenses will be nothing less than chaos.

This was the immediate reaction to Minister of Finance Colm Imbert’s announcement during yesterday’s Budget 2017-2018 presentation in the Parliament by president of the Red Band Maxi Taxi Association Linus Phillip.

Imbert said with the measure he believes it would result in equity and assist in transportation, “it is the intention of this Government to remove the current restrictions on allocation of maxi taxi licenses…remove it all together.”

“No longer will there be restrictions on ownership of banded maxi taxis,” he added.

Imbert explained that people will be able to buy and band their maxis and drive wherever they please.

“Without any restriction…this will open up the public transportation system,” Imbert said.

However, Phillip is not pleased with the move as he strongly believes that removing all restrictions would only serve to disrupt the entire public transportation system in T&T.

“First of all, restrictions were placed for various reasons and any time all restrictions are removed there will be total chaos,” Phillip said.

He added that there was no consultation with the Maxi Taxi Associations, neither all other stakeholders on this. “According to an engineer’s survey, 80 per cent of the population travels…with traffic congestion and people reaching to work late, how could removing all restrictions assist?” Phillip asked

Some of the restrictions, according to Phillip, included the amount of maxis on a particular route and secondly, if a person buys a maxi and puts it in a particular colour band it means that maxi could only work on that route and cannot go on different routes.

He said such restrictions are law and are listed in the Maxi Taxi Act. “Therefore if it means that all restrictions be lifted, it will mean that the Act will have to go back to the Parliament to have the restrictions removed,” he added.

Phillip said what should have been done was implement a Transportation Policy, which the associations have been lobbying for some time.

He added that since there was no consultation in the first place he is interested to see how it would work and what the Minister of Works and Transport has to say on it.

Imbert also announced that Government will seek to replace the ageing fleet of Public Transportation Services Corporation buses with the purchase of 35 new buses in 2018.

MAXI TAXI ACT 48:53

n A maxi-taxi may, on normal work days, be operated outside of the route area for which it is registered for the following purposes:

n To conduct sight-seeing, cultural, recreational, familiarisation or similar tours; or

n To convey members of a group—educational, sporting, religious or otherwise—on a charter basis to a named destination.

n A maxi-taxi operating under this regulation shall be clearly marked “chartered”.

n The registered owner of a maxi-taxi may, upon payment of a fee of one hundred dollars and with the prior approval in writing of the Authority, change the route area for which the maxi-taxi is registered.

n Where approval is given to change a route area, the colour bands of the new route area shall replace those previously used.

n A person who contravenes any of the provisions of this regulation is liable on summary conviction to a fine of five hundred dollars and to a further fine of fifty dollars for each day on which the offence continues after conviction.
 

Local contractors are disheartened that Minister of Finance Colm Imbert failed to address the issue of the TT$ billion owed to them, but they are pleased that he announced measures which they believe can stimulate the construction sector and get businesses which have been lying dormant for some time going.

President of the Contractors Association Ramlogan Roopnarinesingh said the housing initiative announced by the minister, once properly rolled out, can benefit contractors tremendously, as would the plan unveiled by the minister to eliminate traffic lights from Port-of- Spain to Arima and construct overpasses.

Imbert said the housing initiative will fill a gap which cannot be filled by the Housing Development Corporation. Currently he said there are 150,000 applications on the HDC’s waiting list and with the ability to construct 2,000 houses a year, there is no way the HDC could meet the needs of the population.

Imbert said the programme will involve private developers who will be given a TT$100,000 cash incentive or land, the choice will be theirs, the income from the sale of the houses to be built under the initiative will be “tax free.”

Houses built under the programme will be sold in the first instance to persons on the HDC list.

To ensure the success of the programme Imbert said Government will establish a ministerial oversight committee chaired in the first instance by the Prime Minister to monitor and assist with fast tracking the necessary approvals from Town and Country and all the other Government State agencies.

Roopnarine said it is “a great idea for the Prime Minister to oversee the committee.” He is hoping that the roll-out will happen within the next three months but awaits further details on the initiative. But he said the roll out of the pre-designed houses “will not be a major problem.”

He is also awaiting more details on the infrastructure project which will see the elimination of traffic lights from Port- of- Spain to Arima and the construction of overpasses. Both initiatives he said will “stimulate activity depending on how they are rolled out.”

But he said the big question remains “when are we going to get paid?”

Roopnarine said it was “worrying that the budget made no mention of the payment of the debt or even part payment to contractors.”

He is suggesting that the Government finds a way to pay at least “fifty percent of the bills which have already been verified.”

Roopnarinesingh is also forecasting an increase in the cost of doing business in the sector with the announced increase in the cost of diesel.

Political analysts are giving the 2017-2018 fiscal package a thumbs up saying the Government appeared to have listened to the concerns of the population has spread the burden of adjustment across the board.

Dr Winford James said at first glance “it was a comprehensive budget that gives the impression that the Government left no stone unturned. It demonstrated that the Government was aware of the problems and offered some of the more important solutions. The thing is to see where it goes in terms of implementation.”

James said the minister he said addressed “the issues of CL Financial, Petrotrin, the issue of plugging leaks in the tax system and so on. One of the things that struck me is that oil companies extracting as much oil and gas as they doing and not paying a cent for doing so.”

He felt the “incentives in the housing sector, the fashion industry and the agricultural sector all spoke to a plan to diversification, but the thing is getting it off the ground and managing it because the business of how you implement what you set out to do is critical.”

Political analyst and economist Indeera Sageewan Alli said she was surprised that the minister spoke in detail about the agriculture sector but the allocation was just about half a billion dollars.

Sageewan Alli felt Imbert “was extremely creative in sharing the burden of adjustment,” saying the burden was not on the small and middle income earners as in the past, she also felt that the increases in the tax on the banking sector to 35% “was very interesting I did not expect that.”

With a theme Changing the Paradigm Imbert made it clear that everyone needed to share the burden of adjustment and that it could not be “business as usual.” Sageewan Alli said while the minister achieved that the private sector may be “unhappy about the increase in Corporation Tax.”

She was very interested in the approach to housing, saying the incentive of cash or land was a “strategic approach,” which “incentivised the private sector from the smallest man who has one lot of land to put four units to the very large developer who can do four hundred units.”

She felt the fact that the Prime Minister would oversee the ministerial committee was an indication of the “importance” the Government was placing on the initiative, with a mandate of a “nine-month time frame for all approvals to come through.”

This she said will serve to “stimulate the economy, kudos to the Minister of Finance on the initiative once he can implement it. But the proof is in the pudding.”

Newly-elected National Trade Union Centre of T&T (NATUC) president general Watson Duke views Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 2018 Budget as “primitive and punitive.” He also said the increase in diesel and super fuel will create “trouble on the horizon” for the Government.

Duke’s statement came hours after NATUC general secretary Michael Annisette warned Government that any decision to further decrease fuel subsidies would affect the working class and lead to an “avalanche” of protests.

Duke said the spike was something to “protest over” as he called on Joint Trade Union Movement president Ancel Roget to join in protest action.

“He (Roget) said last year if the Prime Minister were to raise gas prices then he would march. Gas prices have been raised. We are talking about my members, his members…the entire population is now faced with the choice of walking or riding. Taxi fares... every single thing is going to go up except your salary,” Duke said at a press conference at the Parliament building.

Duke said NATUC will discuss the matter with its members this week then hold a meeting with its federations.

Calling on labour leaders to form a united front to improve the salaries of the working class, Duke said it was time citizens get back their purchasing power, which began to dip in 2014.

Duke said did not see how cutting the fuel subsidy was an incentive to shift to cleaner and better fuel.

“This is what this Government is about, putting us back to the stone age and punishing us for no reason at all. What have we done? Why are we being punished like that? Is licks, after licks, after licks.”

Duke said NATUC had hoped for a budget where workers could have relaxed and be given some measure of ease and comfort.

“I categorise the budget as primitive and punitive. I use the word primitive because the budget is designed to take modern-day persons back to an era where they are forced to walk rather than drive their vehicles, given the sudden rise of gas and diesel.”

He said the budget will also not stimulate the economy but will stir the emotions of public servants and Tobagonians into anger.

“It creates mischief rather than solve problems.”
 

With the increase in gasoline and diesel prices and an increase in wholesale margins, gas station owners say they will have to wait to see if they will benefit from an increase in retail margins as this was not made clear by Finance Minister Colm Imbert in yesterday’s 2017-2018 Budget.

In his presentation, Imbert announced an increase in super gasoline from $3.58 a litre to $3.97 and diesel from $2.30 a litre to $3.41. He said an increase in these existing margins is expected to improve cash flow and profitability to those within the liquid petroleum fuel industry, promote competition among service stations and create enhanced and sustainable jobs.

Imbert said within the existing price structure, wholesale margins for premium, super and regular gasoline were set at 14.5 cents and since 2009 had remained constant at 9.5 cents for diesel and kerosene.

Contacted yesterday, Petroleum Dealers Association president Robin Naraynsingh said Imbert specified an increase for the wholesalers, who include National Petroleum (NP) and Unipet, by five cents. However, he said the increase in price will mean an increase in operation costs for dealers.

“We have to get more money to put out to buy gas. It will be more expensive for us to operate,” Naraynsingh said.

He also questioned what Imbert meant when he spoke of the dynamics between the private and state sectors, describing it as “confusing.”

“NP represents the state sector, so I don’t know if he intends to sell gas stations to dealers so they can have a more private sector interaction with the state sector,” he said.

“Gas station owners use private sector money to increase the cash flow for the state sector, because all dealers spend their private money to buy gas to sell gas so that they can engender a margin to fuel the industry itself. The Minister did not make clear pronouncements, we will have to wait on the order from the ministry.”

Gas station owner Reval Chattergoon explained that dealers get an increase in terms of cents on a litre and will have to wait until later today to see what their respective retail margin increase will be.

“We make cents on a litre and not on the dollar. We will have to wait until our first bill or when we call the wholesaler…while super went up roughly by 30 cents, wholesale margins get five cents…we may not get 25 cents on that litre, we may get five or six cents on that litre,” Chattergoon said.

“We are hoping to get a significant increase because we have been suffering for years.”

Share the burden!

While motorists using super and diesel gasoline had to dig deeper into their pockets after 5 pm yesterday, anyone who wins a million-dollar “Lotto” after December will have to hand over 10 per cent to Government.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 2018 Budget yesterday also placed the burden of his package on a cross section of T&T, from motorists and gamblers to banks, businesses and energy clients.

“These are unusual times which call for major changes in policies, institutions and ourselves. This paradigm calls for serious adjustment for all,” Imbert said in his Budget delivery in Parliament As calypsonian Black Stalin told us in 1988, ‘We can Make It If We Try’.”

The 2018 Budget at $50.5b is three billion less than the 2017 Budget of $53 billion. Projected deficit is $4.76 billion. The package is based on an oil price of US$52 and gas price of US$2.75 per MMBTU.

Detailing his theme “Changing the Paradigm,” Imbert reiterated economic problems, alleged People’s Partnership (PP) mismanagement and system deficiencies created the need for change.

He said public appetite for Government expenditure was encouraged to such an extent the country was being asked to support a false economy - but it cannot continue.

Among fiscal measures, Imbert hiked the price of super gasoline from $3.58 per litre to $3.97 and diesel from $2.30 per litre to $3.41 with immediate effect. Later in 2018, the Energy Ministry will monthly publish the wholesale and retail product prices for five categories of fuel, which in future will fluctuate with the prices of oil and refined products.

Imbert also introduced a 10 per cent tax on all cash winnings from the National Lotteries Control Board effective December 1.

Citing extremely low tax compliance by members’ clubs and amusement gaming operators, Imbert increased existing rates of duty on all mechanical games.

Electronic roulette devices in bars will attract a flat fee of $120,000 and 11 sets of taxes on gaming tables at clubs were hiked.

“Measures will be strictly enforced,” he warned, also noting emergence of online gambling costing outflows of US$200m annually.

Vehicle inspection station fees were increased from $165 to $300.

To prevent tax evasion on new and foreign-used tyres, customs duty for both are now 30 per cent. An “environmental” tax of $20 on imported tyres will also cover disposal of used tyres.

Imbert also announced a new tax regime for hybrid vehicles and those of smaller sizes, designed to prevent leakage of tax revenue. He said some people used tax waivers on hybrids to import luxury vehicles, adding some 35,000 vehicles were imported in 2017 costing US$500m in Forex loss.

A 35 per cent tax bracket was also slapped on commercial banks and a base tax rate of 30 per cent on all companies.

A 12.5 per cent royalty rate will apply on extraction of hydrocarbon resources to offset loss of energy sector corporation tax.

Licence fees for private medical/surgical/maternity hospitals were increased from $150 to between $25,000 to $100,000.

OTHER 2017-2018 PLANS

• Projected 2018 revenue—$45.8b

• $2.2b for Tobago House of Assembly;

talks with Government for THA to borrow

internationally; internal self-government

legislation for Cabinet in 2018.

• US-funded system to identify arrivals/

departures to T&T.

• Concessions to renergise Tobago hotel

sector, including loans, refinancing.

• President to decide on Procurement

Regulator, for early 2018 operation.

• Sandals negotiations “expected to be

concluded shortly.”

• US$100m facility via Exim Bank to grant

eligible exporters of Forex once they

export and repatriate earnings.

• Yachting industry incentives for yachties

seeking hurricane-safe port; Tobago

marina through public-private effort.

• Tourism Regulatory & Licensing

Authority to ensure best practice.

• URP, CEPEP under review. CEPEP for

agricultural development.

• World bank Public Expenditure Review

of health, education, social services

expenditure.

• T&T Revenue Authority legislation for

Parliament by December.

• Finance Audit Unit to audit state

enterprises, government departments.

•Oil production up to 85,000 barrels daily

(2020); Dragon Field gas (2020); Loran

Manatee (2023).

• Team to implement Lashley report on

Petrotrin.

• Small/medium business grants up to

$100,000.

• $100,000 incentive to private

businesses to build low income houses.

• Agricultural financial grants up to

$100,000.

• Live music district to be established;

new TTT to air local films.

• Texas company to relocate to PoS

as T&T bids to become outsourcing

location.

Despite a delay in Property Tax implementation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert says the data-gathering process is ongoing.

“We intend to have a fully implemented Property Tax system in 2018,” Imbert said during yesterday Budget presentation.

Noting that T&TEC commands an annual $750 million subsidy and WASA also has a high transfer level, Imbert added, “The Regulated Industries Commission has signalled intention to do a rate determination exercise for T&TEC and WASA to be completed in 2018. The last rate reviews for both were in 1993 and 2006. We look forward to early RIC completion of the rate review so appropriate decision can be made.”

Warning of further “review and adjustment” to the GATE programme, Imbert said, “A reasoned argument was made that wealthy individuals shouldn’t benefit from any subsidy on tertiary education at all.”

Imbert said delays in collecting $15 billion owed by CL Financial - from Government’s 2009 bailout - caused the 2017 Budget’s $6 billion deficit to double.

He said major CLF assets - as they become available from liquidators - will be diverted via public offering on the Stock Exchange or through placement in a new National Mutual Fund. Assets will be available for purchase by the public, pension funds, NIB, or Unit Trust in units paying dividends.

“All CLF companies won’t be sold to the highest bidder, but instead various companies, as considered appropriate, will be continued as going concerns,” Imbert said.

“Preparation for the National Mutual Fund has started with transfer to the Corporation Sole of 29.9 per cent of Angostura shares and 16 per cent of Home Construction shares—all worth $1.4 billion.”

During Imbert’s three hour and 28 minute delivery, House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George called for silence several times, once asking UNC MP Barry Padarath to “take a walk.”

Debate continues Friday with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar’s reply from 10 am.

MINISTRY ALLOCATIONS

n Education: $7.2B

n National Security: $6.2B

n Health: $6.02B

n Public Utilities: $3.5B

n Works & Transport: $3.0B

n Rural Development: $1.8B

n Housing: $1.0B

n Agriculture: $0.5B

T&T Private Members’ Club Association (TTPMA) president Sherry Persad says the gaming industry intends to fight back against Government plans to increase taxes on the industry. She said, however, that the fight will be “in every lawful manner that is available.”

During his Budget presentation yesterday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the existing rate of duty on all mechanical games of chance for gambling, now 20 per cent, would be increased to 40 per cent from October 20. The measures will take effect on January 1, 2018 and will be strictly enforced in 2018.

“The present tax payment compliance rate of only 10 per cent by industry participants in the gambling industry is unacceptable and can no longer be tolerated,” Imbert said.

However, Persad described the move as an “inhumane increase,” adding that thousands will be affected.

“The Government cannot continue to proceed with the deluded concept that taxation is a revenue generating option for our nation,” Persad said.

Persad said members view the gaming increases as an act of bad faith by the Government, noting it appears to have singled out the industry as one of the few areas for taxation revenue to bear the burden of the nation’s economic challenges.

She called on Government to take heed of their request and withdraw any increases in taxing the gaming industry while legislation is before the Joint Select Committee (JSC).

“Over the last year, various stakeholders have been in communication with the Ministry of Finance and participating with the JSC in developing relevant and fair gaming legislation that will regulate the industry, yet without any notice or consultation the taxes on the industry was dramatically increased,” Persad said.

IMBERT’S NEW GAMING TAXES

Finance Minister Colm Imbert says electronic roulette devices operating in bars throughout the country, under the Liquor Licence Act, Chap 84:10, will now attract a flat device tax of $120,000 annually; the gaming tax which shall be payable annually under the Liquor Licence Act, Chap 84:10 will be increased from $3,000 to $6,000 in respect of each amusement game; and the taxes on gaming tables and other devices by private members’ clubs would be increased as follows:

n Every Baccarat Table $100,000 per annum;

n Every Black Jack Table $120,000 per annum;

n Every Caribbean Stud Poker Table $150,000 per annum;

n Every Dice Table $70,000 per annum;

n Every Poker Table $60,000 per annum;

n Every Roulette Table $120,000 per annum;

n Every Electronic Roulette Device $120,000 per annum;

n Every Rum 32 Table $150,000 per annum;

n Every Sip Sam Table $150,000 per annum;

n Every Slot Machine $24,000 per annum; and

n Every other table or device not mentioned above $60,000 per annum.

Tobago Chamber of Commerce president Demi John Cruikshank says he was comforted with Tobago’s allocation in yesterday’s Budget.

Speaking at a news conference at the Chamber’s head office in Scarborough following the budget presentation, Cruikshank said Tobago received additional powers through some of the initiatives highlighted by Imbert.

The Tobago House of Assembly received $2.1936 billion, which represents $1.86 billion for recurrent expenditure, $315.6 million for capital expenditure and $18 million for URP. The island will also receive $1.09b to be spent through ministries on government projects on the island, including the upgrade of the Roxborough Police Station and construction of the Moriah Fire Station and a desalination plant and expansion of the power generating capacity at Cove.

Cruickshank said Tobago would have received a larger slice of the national pie this time around

“The Tobago House of Assembly would have received a 4.34 per cent of the national budget to us, which is an upward figure in terms of what we would have normally received, which is 4.03 of the national budget. We are also pleased that the THA would have gotten some sort of ability to borrow coming into the new fiscal year and that is something that a number of Assemblies in the past would have clamoured for and it will be interesting to see how we now deal with that scenario in terms of borrowing externally, or domestically,” he said

With added commitment by the Central Government to give Tobago the clout of borrowing to complete and fund projects, Cruikshank said the THA would have to look at the wanton wastage seen over the years. He also extended an olive branch to THA Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles to meet with the Tobago Chamber to propel the island’s economy

“The Tobago House of Assembly is getting more powers, you are now getting the ability to borrow money, the legislation is before Cabinet for self-determination in Tobago, so the THA needs to come with a serious plan and sit with the business community. We are here to help the THA to execute a lot of their programmes. We have said in the past we feel that the THA is a partner with us, and we need to partner with them to move forward,” he said.

He said they were also concerned at the fuel hike since it may mean increased prices for Tobago.

The Clico Policyholders Group has welcomed 2018 Budget plans to have some Clico assets disposed of via the Stock Exchange and a National Mutual Fund.

In a release hours after Finance Minister Colm Imbert announced the plan, group chairman Peter Permell, said, “It was indeed refreshing to hear from the Finance Minister that the cries/voices of the people, many of whom, according to him have an emotional attachment’ to Clico/CL Financial due to the significant contribution that both these entities have made to national development over the years, didn’t fall on deaf ears.”

He said it was clear Government had made a significant shift in its policy position regarding the disposal/sale of the Clico/CLF assets, in that “the assets will now not go to the highest bidder, in my view, an obvious reference to the small but powerful one per cent and as such the disposal of these assets will now be done via the T&T Stock Exchange and the establishment of a national investment mutual fund through which all citizens, regardless of their economic circumstances, will now be able have a stake via the purchase of units in the same.”

Permell added, “Clearly, this is a welcome development and a small but important step in the right direction that is worthy of commendation. However, I part company with the honourable Minister on his not so veiled attempt to lay blame at the feet of the CL Financial shareholders.”

Also commenting on the decision, United Shareholder Ltd spokesman Carlton Reis said, “The Government is - again - acting on its own, but we’re in court, so let’s proceed.”

The Bankers Association of T&T (BATT) has described Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 35 per cent corporation tax on commercial banks as “contradictory and short-sighted.”

In a statement yesterday, BATT called for a meeting with Imbert as it “noted with some concern the increase from 30 per cent to 35 per cent effective January 1, 2018.”

BATT said, “The fact that the commercial banking sector was singled out for this unique corporate tax rate is concerning and disproportionately affects an industry, which employs over 7,400 T&T citizens, has 20,000 individual shareholders and represents in excess of one million customers across T&T.”

BATT said the tax would dissuade new investment in the sector and could eventually lead to employment loss. The association viewed as disappointing that Imbert chose to focus on industries which are already contributing to the “burden sharing instead of focusing more fully on widening the tax net to the large proportions of the economy which pay little or no taxes.”

Clearly outraged, BATT said it “strongly opposed” the decision and want to meet Imbert to discuss the increase in order to ensure “the employees, shareholders and customers who depend on the strength and stability of this sector are not affected by decisions which are short-sighted and not in the best long term interests of the country and the Financial Sector.”

Also contacted yesterday, Republic Bank Ltd managing director Nigel Baptiste said commercial banks were easy targets for tax increases.

In emailed responses, Baptiste said, “Commercial banks continue to be singled out as relatively soft targets for tax increases due to the meticulous and accurate approach used in the preparation of our audited statements.”

When there is a tax increase, he said it must be looked at relative to how it would affect all parts of the economy and not just the banking sector.

He said the increase in tax could adversely affect bank valuations and by extension, “the value of the investment portfolios of key institutions such as the NIB and numerous other private institutional investors such as the insurance companies.”

Baptiste suggested that a more effective approach to collecting taxes would be to focus on improving the tax collection infrastructure and widening the tax net, especially when it comes to self-employed professionals.

Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) online gaming operators and players yesterday supported Finance Minister Colm Imbert plan to impose a 10 per cent tax on all cash winnings, saying it is a good avenue to generate income in these tough economic times.

The measure was announced during yesterday’s budget presentation.

One operator at Duke Street said given T&T’s financial challenges and high debt ratio, Government had little or no choice but to impose harsh penalties.

“Well, how I see it is the country has no money and is better Government do this than food gone up. Look at the state of the country....things real hard,” he said.

Belmont resident James Mitchell, who was at the time purchasing a lotto ticket, said he too believed the new tax was a good idea.

“Government has to get money some how. Every now and then I buy lotto and a scratch, but the ten per cent would not stop me from buying a ticket. I will still buy my ticket and hope to win like everybody else,” Mitchell said.

Another lotto operator at City Gate said while she agreed that gambling ought to be taxed the measure was somewhat harsh.

“Playing lotto is like investing money, because some people put out a lot of money to buy lotto and scratch every week. So if you win why you have to pay ten per cent on that? What you win you should keep, but then again it better that way than poor people suffer,” she said.

At Charlotte Street, lotto agent Pamela Lewis said gambling, like alcohol and cigarettes will “always sell.”

“Before some people buy a bread I see them buy a lotto ticket or a scratch or a cash pot. Is a good thing because some people might now think twice to buy the bread instead to feed their children, but I also understand that the Government need money. We hardly have oil and gas and the country in real debt,” Lewis said.

The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Song Yumin hosted his country’s 68th anniversary reception on September 26, at the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Port-of-Spain.

Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon delivered remarks on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

The minister spoke highly of the 210-year relationship between our countries which was strengthened by the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1974. He also expressed T&T’s desire to further enhance its relationship with China by demonstrating our commitment to seek new opportunities and to pursue mutual objectives.

Guests mingled and enjoyed cocktails whilst being entertained by the T&T Chinese Steel Ensemble and the Shenzhen Arts Company.