FOR years, we've heard the familiar refrain: Trinidad and Tobago is facing a foreign exchange (forex) crunch.

But this is no short-term hiccup-it's a structural problem, worsened by declining energy revenues and limited US dollar inflows. Commercial banks have begun capping US dollar usage on credit cards. Businesses are struggling. Households are feeling the squeeze.

Yet, amid this, citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are still required to use US dollars to purchase airline tickets online-even when flying from Trinidad and Tobago (domestically or internationally) with our national, State-owned carrier, Caribbean Airlines (CAL).