Increasing the price of alcohol and cigarettes will in no way cut back on the consumption of the commodities. In fact, the "drinkers" and "smokers" say nothing will stop them from adjusting to the new prices. During her 2009/2010 budget presentation, Finance Minister Karen Tesheira announced a 15 per cent increase in excise on locally manufactured rum, beer and alcoholic products and a 30 per cent increase in import duties on these items that are manufactured outside the region. She also proposed a 15 per cent increase on excise and import duties on tobacco products produced locally and regionally. All these increases took effect yesterday.
Sitting with a Stag in one hand and a cigarette in the other at Ryan's Recreation Pub on Prince Street, Port-of-Spain, Nehru Rampersad said he did not care how high the prices of cigarettes and alcohol rose, once they were available. "You think them could ever get me to stop drinking and smoking. I going to my grave with alcohol, I is a rum cork," he said. Pub owner Ryan Ganpat said just before last year's budget, the prices of Stag and Carib were increased from from $8 to $9 and all rums had increased by $2, but that did not stop customers from buying.
"This time around I don't think it will affect customers," he said.
However, he expects cigarette sales to decrease. The owner of Sheila's Liquor Mart on Queen Street said her business would be hard hit by the price increases of rum, beer and alcohol. She said customers were already complaining about the expected increase. She expected Carib and Stag prices to increase from $8 to about $10 and Heineken prices to increase from $11 to about $14 or $15.
