…business community foresees hike in commodity prices
The much anticipated tollbooth recently reinstituted by the Linden municipality is now attracting a number of complaints from the business community, who are claiming that the tollbooth is draining the already stifled economy.
As a result, many of the businesses are strongly contemplating increasing the prices of their goods.
Toll charges
The tollbooth was declared open for business on October 31, 2016 by Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, in the presence of Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valarie Patterson; Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira; Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland; Deputy Mayor Waneka Arindell; Regional Chairman Renis Morian; Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph; Deputy Director of Community Development Council, Sandra Adams; Regional Democratic Councillors and Municipal Councillors.
Many of those affected explained that their profits and turnover prior to the tollbooth were very slim but now it is even less since they have to pay an additional hefty fee.
According to the proprietor of one general store, who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, his business will not be able to make enough profits to further expand since he is required to pay a toll each time a truck passes the tollbooth with goods.
The tollbooth located in Linden
“I understand that the council need to make money but they have to look at it on our side as well. How feasible will it be for my business to pay toll fare every time it pass with goods in it? Sometimes I have more than three trucks coming a day with goods and paying this fee will not work out well for me,” the annoyed businessman stated.
According to another business owner who frequents the community from the Linden-Soesdyke Highway with his fruit produce on a canter, it is no longer economical for him to visit the town since his profit is spent paying the toll.
He explained: “I cannot afford to pay a tollbooth just as I enter a town and by the time I reach around two corners another toll booth is there. When I pay the one at in the central town, I have to pay another and it is not working out for me. The council need to make some changes on people’s behalf.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Holland at the opening ceremony of the tollbooth had stated that the tollbooth would garner significant funds for the town: “The revenues will assist with the repairing of roads and other infrastructure that are being destroyed as a result of the traversing of heavy-duty and lumber trucks.”
However, every effort to contact the Mayor to address these most recent concerns proved futile, as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.
