Haha looks like some smart and opportunistic businessmen have found a golden goose that will provide them with endless fortune for the next 30+ years - by levying a new toll charge on all motorists using the link, in both directions starting next year. While the official toll charges have yet to be announced, sources have hinted that they will be priced at some heavenly sums, ensuring handsome profits for the concessionaiere for many, many years to come.
Those fat cats obviously have a voracious and insatiable appetite, and they certainly know the easiest and fastest way to capture their prey. This time, they are bent on sucking the bloods out of all motorists crossing the vital link, including the tens of thousands of their fellow countrymen who travel daily through it while eking out a living across the border, as well as the millions of visitors travel through the busiest gateway into the country.
The hardest hit will certainly be those who commute daily across the border for work. However, the indirect impact will be much greater. To begin with, I am sure the toll levy will be more effective than the island's $20 levy on foreign cars meant to deter further congestion to its roads. All those visitors from the island who regularly drive across the border will certainly think thrice before making future trips. Unfortunately, they happen to be our most loyal clients. Year after year, they have been the single largest contributor to this country's tourism receipts. If you decide to welcome them with an ungodly toll levy, I am sure they will pass. Businesses in the city will definitely not be the same as before. Hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, hawkers, taxi drivers, etc etc, their livelihood will be greatly affected. The mega project touted to be 4 times the size of the island will fail with such prohibitive barrier to travel between the two cities. Our dear tourism minister will probably have to crack her brains harder to make up for the shortfall of revenue. Our dearest prime minister will likely have to work harder to win the next election, or to find the funds needed to compensate the concessionaiere if he places a greater value of his popularity.
Meanwhile, the fat cats will be laughing their heads off at the extravagant dinner parties. How wonderful it is to have a golden goose!
It is really illogical to make all users of the link pay the excessive toll when not everyone will be using the new highway. At the end of the day, due to the punishing toll, the group of motorists who are expected to use the highway will not even make the trip across the border, thereby defeating the very purpose it was built in the first place. When people shun the toll, toll revenues decline, the concessionaiere will then have an excuse to request for compensation or to extend the lease agreement to make up for the shortfall. What a brilliant way to make money!
For us, it will be more miserable days ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment