Sascha Wilson
Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah is calling on the nation to join his party in a demonstration through the streets of Port-of-Spain to demand that the government rescind its decision to increase fuel prices.
In a news conference by the gates of the now-defunct Petrotrin refinery at Pointe-a-Pierre yesterday, Abdulah said Finance Minister Colm Imbert believes the people of this country are sheep.
“We want to say therefore people of Trinidad and Tobago we cannot sit down and do nothing. Doing nothing is not a choice. To do nothing means that you are accepting your condition of suffering and poverty and misery so we have to now take a stand and do something and therefore the MSJ has decided to call a demonstration a march through the streets of Port-of-Spain for Friday 22nd April.
“And we are calling on all trade unions, we are calling on all activists, we are calling on all citizens those involved in transport the truckers, the taxi driver, the maxi drivers, the fisherfolk, those who have small businesses the unemployed, the youths to join on this massive march.”
This comes two days after Imbert announced that super and premium gas will be increased by $1 per litre and diesel by 50 cents per litre. Abdulah who has given the government until April 18 to withdraw this decision also rubbished the Finance Minister’s claim that he is sharing the burden of adjustment between the people and the government.
He called on the government to put more taxes on the wealthy companies and use that revenue to maintain the fuel subsidy.
“The impact on the working people and the poor is going to be horrendous. Remember most workers have had an increase in their wage or salary since 2013.”
He said the increase will result in transport and food prices going up. “Remember school is starting back too, so the hundreds and thousands of people including school children who have to travel to school and work and back every day, how are they going to make out if the taxi and maxi drivers are forced to increase their fares?”
He said people have not yet recovered from COVID-19, many are still without jobs or are in debt. “Mr Imbert increasing the price of gas and diesel now is putting your knee on the neck of poor people and working people in this country. Take your knee off of our necks.”
Abdulah said the government’s bad decision to close the refinery is negatively affecting the population.
“If we had the refinery we would not have to spend a cent US to import fuels for the supply of the domestic market,” he explained.
Abdulah noted that there is a global food crisis because of the rapid increase in food prices and a shortage of wheat and corn as well as the increase in fertilizer prices due to the war between Ukraine and Russia war.
“We are saying people of Trinidad and Tobago that this crisis of fuel and food is major this crisis affects you in your pocket for those who have money. For those who don’t have money you are going to be in even greater distress and crisis not being able to put food on the table for your children, not being able to afford transportation for your children to go to school."
