Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's decision to provide a computer for every secondary school entrant has not affected sales at computer retailers, the Sunday Guardian was told. Managers and CEOs at computer stores in Central and Port-of-Spain said they have seen no variation in sales. Neither has the Government's programme to assist schoolchildren with half of their books caused any significant decline in sales, bookstores are claiming. Asim Ali, manager of Fusaa of Freeport, said people are buying computers "as normal". "People are buying desktops as normal."
He said, in fact, he's expecting an influx of jobs to fix computers based on the Government's plan to provide machines for schoolchildren.
"We also fix computers and kids are going to damage those Government computers." Joseph Nurse, accountant at Jen Mar of Woodbrook, said their sales have remained the same. "We have seen no major difference. In any case, there was never a great demand for computers for children now entering secondary school. "The demand comes in when they reach the higher forms. If there is any decline in sales, I believe it will have to do with the economic situation."
No difference
Parents are busy buying books for their children, too. Joycelyn Bodden, CEO of RIK Services Ltd, said some five per cent of them are those who choose to buy their own books rather than allow their children to damage books provided by the Government. "Parents are still investing heavily in school books. We are very busy right now," Bodden said on Friday afternoon. She noted that people started buying books a little later than usual and suggested the rainy weather may have hindered earlier shopping. "But, this is generally the best time of the year for us." Asked about the high price of school books, Bodden said, "A lot of our books are published in the United Kingdom and the United States but they are not more expensive than they were last year.
"Primary school books are cheaper than those for students in secondary school." RIK Services has branches in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando and Chaguanas. The manager at Ishmael Khan's Price Plaza, Chaguanas branch said the sale of books and school stationary continues as normal. "Parents don't hold back when it comes to their children. One parent spending $1,600 on books and stationary is not uncommon. "Parents still have to put out a lot, even with help from the Government." She said parents have complained that their children sometimes go through the whole year without using some of the books and see the same ones on the following year's book list.
