Paying Coward Tax
Businessmen in the Central area are reported to be paying Coward Tax which is to say that criminals have been blackmailing businessmen for money or else they will harm them, their property or their business. No businessmen are coming forward officially about it.
I have heard of this rumor for a very long time, what I do not understand though is, assuming these businessmen have a lot of money why in the world they want to stay in Trinidad to live like that? They should sell everything and leave! That's not life!
I have two theories about that, actually let's make it three theories and one fact. First the theories:
1. It could be that some of these businessmen are doing underground stuff to make money, so it is more a case of 'sharing the profit'.
2. It could be that their trade does not allow them to profit as much in the US, they make more money here.
3. It is not true at all. Maybe it is just a politically motivated ploy to make everyone feel that the Indian business men are being targeted. However, judging from those who were kidnapped there may be truth in the Indian population being the greater victims.
Now for what I see as a fact...
Trinis are so used to taking bull that they do not know how to protest anymore. I bet you, if Trinis really assembled themselves together as one body of unity then they could make great strides in everything: protection, service, inflation, etc.