GEISHA KOWLESSAR-ALONZO
Senior Reporter
geisha.kowlessar@guardian.co.tt
Tobago stakeholders yesterday offered mixed reactions as the island commissioned its new multimillion-dollar terminal at the ANR Robinson International Airport, with opinions split between excitement over its potential and concerns about its impact.
Economist Dr Vanus James, in an interview with Guardian Media, described the facility as a “white elephant” and expressed doubts about its ability to contribute to sustainable development on the island.
“It is almost certain this is going to be a white elephant for the next 25 to 30 years because the foundation on which an airport and any other form of infrastructure, seaport, and so on, can be productive for you will have to be laid prior to building the airport,” James said.
The senior economist emphasised that establishing strong foundational systems, such as education and tourism, is essential for driving Tobago’s economic growth and overall development.
“And you’ve got to understand all those kinds of changes as well as the communities and the work they have to do to attract people to come into the country to stay longer and make money from them. All those things have to be put in place before you go ahead and do what Rowley is doing there.
“So I don’t think I have any sense that this is going to yield any fruit. The Magdalena is almost as expensive as the airport. It has brought Tobago nothing,” James said.
He added that the government has invested vast sums of money with no foundation in place in Tobago, and all of it has gone to waste.
“So Tobago is worse off economically today than before the Magdalena was built,” James added.
The airport has come at a time when Tobago’s international visitor arrivals are low and therefore is a welcomed initiative, said businesswoman and former head of the Tobago Division of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Diane Hadad.
She noted that in 2005, the figures were around 80,000 to 90,000 annually, but they have since decreased significantly.
“Since 2005, when we got to our highest number of international flight arrivals, which was 87,647, we had problems receiving them. We had 14 international flights a week, and we had issues where there was no VIP waiting lounge. The planes could not park properly, so by the time the jets parked, too many of the planes were still in close proximity to the runway,” Hadad explained.
She also mentioned that there is inadequate infrastructure for passengers to collect their baggage comfortably, as well as a lack of proper facilities for accessing the aircraft without having to endure the sun and rain.
With one international flight now coming to Tobago a week, Hadad is very hopeful that the new facility will result in increased visitor arrivals.
“If we don’t create the infrastructure for inviting people here and marketing Tobago, we cannot speak tourism. Whilst it would be a chicken-and-egg situation as the problem existed or was created since 2005 and it took us 20 years to fix part of it, now we have to work our way back quickly for us to benefit to get back to that 80-something thousand plus passengers,” Hadad added.
She said other facilities like gift shops will not only generate economic benefits for Tobagonians but will also result in earning much-needed forex from visitors.
It must go beyond seawater and sand—George
Meanwhile, Martin George, attorney and chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber, has described the new facility as an excellent move and a “necessary first step,” he noted this must be part of a holistic plan to develop Tobago’s tourism product.
He said other factors must become critical areas of focus, such as the island’s hotel room stock.
“We need to ensure that we get that quality room stock ... We need to ensure we have the large brand-name hotels, which will bring the airlines. Let’s be realistic. Let’s be serious about this. What’s the point of us having this facility if we do not have the throughput of passengers to ensure that we can now say, ‘Yes, this was a job well done, well worth it,’ in the long run?” George said.
Apart from the hotel room stock, George advised that engagement with the various airlines is another important element to ensure the planes coming to Tobago are filled. Hand in hand with this is customer service, he added.
“I say to Tobagonians, do not mix up service with servitude. You can offer high-quality service without it being servitude ... We need to understand what tourism is about. It has to go beyond seawater and sand. Everybody has seawater and sand, and plenty of places have it nicer than us,” George said.
He said having a “nice terminal” should also equate to a smooth and integrated experience with customs and immigration for all passengers.
“In Tobago, we can’t just do the ordinary; we have to do even better than the competition,” George emphasised as he maintained that the new terminal must be seen as a “new turning point” for the island.
