THE EDITOR: US president-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose increased tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China is brilliant.

The US market has been heavily importing goods from Mexico, Canada, and China and the duties on these goods are cheap enough to smuggle drugs, people and illegal items along with them. It will make it harder for that to happen by increasing the tariffs so that the cost of selling goods to the US hurts them enough to cease.

Also, using tariffs as a bargaining tool will encourage America's trading partners to agree to more favourable terms and bring back manufacturing jobs from overseas.

The production of goods in the US will definitely be cheaper than producing them in China, for example, and transporting them to the US, so passing on the cost to the consumer wouldn't be a problem. The demand will still be soaring, but American-made goods are a priority in the US. Everybody else is welcome to compete, but it will cost them something. That's business, brilliant business. Who vex lorse.

It's the same problem in TT; our import bill must be lowered. If we produce goods locally, the prices will be more competitive for the local consumer, there will be more jobs for the legal citizens in the manufacturing sector, more exports for the nation, and increased foreign direct investment.

It is a brilliant economic policy and strategy that puts the American interests first, increases competition in business, strengthens national security, and is a source of income for the Federal Reserve and the taxpayer.

KENDELL KARAN

Chaguanas

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