By ALEXANDER BRUZUAL Tuesday, September 8 2009

THE announcement of a 15 percent increase in cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol has come under heavy fire and criticism from citizens in Port-of-Spain shortly after Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira completed her three-hour 2009/2010 Budget presentation.

Nunez-Tesheira announced that effective today, taxes will be increased by 15 percent on all of the above mentioned commodities. This was explained as being part of government’s commitment to promote healthy lifestyles.

Just moments after this was announced, limers at several bars in Port-of-Spain gave a big thumbs down to the announced increase.

At D’Bocas Restaurant and Bar on Chacon Street, some patrons were visibly upset over the increase which they said was another “deliberate lash” against the poor.

“In these harsh economic times, I find it unjustified to raise the prices which will hurt the poor in the country. People are losing their job security and things are getting harder. Yet they want to raise the price of these simple pleasures which many people seek for comfort, to get them through these harsh times. This increment in taxes will only add fresh salt to a wound the people are still nursing in their wallets. It’s unacceptable,” said Matthew Williams as he looked at the bottle of Stag beer, he held while sitting in the bar.

Patrons at Pancho’s Restaurant and Bar on Queen Street lamented over the increase in cigarettes, saying it was unfair as the price for cigarettes had already increased for the year.

“Imagine only a few years ago I was paying $8 for a pack of Broadway. Now I am paying about $20 and they want to increase it again? Cigarettes and drinks are what we use to de-stress ourselves and they want to increase taxes on them because they are pushing this healthy living on us? What about freedom of choice? This is just another form of dictatorship as far as I see,” Jeremy Mohammed said.