Sabotage Or Development, The Foreign Ceo's Role In T&T

There is significant and growing concern from the Trinidadian population regarding the control of critical and prominent positions in Trinidad's economic infrastructure by foreign CEO’s. These are individuals with no lineage to Trinidad, and as such they may not possess the patriotism or the genuine care for the economy, assets and people of Trinidad & Tobago.

Trinidad's potentially explosive tourism sector is being sabotaged or mismanaged under another foreign CEO. Many would argue that Trinidad does not have a tourism product but I strongly disagree and I am confident that we do have a strong and highly marketable product that could and must replace oil in GDP!  What Trinidad lacks are patriotic, creative and innovative CEO’s, officials and individuals to understand, develop and market the product.

The closing of Tidco was a good move as Tidco had outlived their usefulness, especially in today’s highly competitive tourism world. They did not possessed the skills, knowledge and understanding of Trinidad's indigenous and still undiscovered tourism product. They were also not skilled in the task of culminating the synergy of Trinidad & Tobago into an internationally desirable destination of choice.

The government would claim to be doing that with the new Tourism Development Company{TDC} but the facts and reality say something completely different. There are a lot of reasons for concern with the new TDC and its’ foreign CEO that the government should investigate.  

Recently Delta Airlines started flying out of Trinidad. While the negotiator of this move, Mr. James Hepple (President and CEO of TDC) claimed to have introduced this flight to bring new tourists from the US to Trinidad and thus strengthen our economy, in reality he was doing just the opposite- taking plane loads of Trinidadians as tourists to the US.

While Mr. Hepple tells Trinidadians the following story -“This is big news for Trinidad & Tobago. The addition of this flight allows us to introduce the business appeal, culture and charisma of Trinidad & Tobago to a huge segment of business and leisure travelers” – the Trinidad Guardian tells us another side: –“All of Delta Airlines’ flights for July were booked. The first destination of choice for hot-footed Trinidadians was Atlanta”. To add insult to injury, Delta’s account manager in Trinidad explains the scenario: Trinidadians are travelling out of the Caribbean because some hotel rates in North America are more competitive than regional fares, meals are cheaper in North America and there are more interesting places to visit.” 

Was Mr. Hepple really trying to attract American tourists to Trinidad? Should we assume the job was just out of his depth or should we assume he very well did know what he was doing and his agenda was just other than to benefit the economy and the people of T&T? Clearly he did benefit Delta Airlines and Atlanta. What is he doing that is innovative, realistic and meaningful for Trinidad that has not been attempted in the past?  What is he contributing that local tourism experts don’t already know?

The World Tourism Organisation reported for the year 2005 that Jamaica had a tourism-income of over $1.5 Billion US , Cuba close to $2 Billion US and the Dominican Republic with more than $3.5 Billion US. Trinidad made just over four hundred million! We clearly need changes but what is Mr. Hepple delivering? Are we getting our money’s worth with him?

Certainly, these figures pertain mainly to the Diaspora who patronizes Trinidad anyway, without a foreign CEO having to invite them. We must also commend the valiant efforts of Tobago’s Tourism. Mr.Chin-Lee claimed that – “T&T is quickly becoming the tourism capital of the world.” However, based on these factual figures above here, we are not even competing regionally? On the contrary, the foreign CEO’s and in this case Mr.Chin-Lee is quickly making T&T “The talk a lot and say nothing capital of the world!” Where are the honesty, progress and competence?

The above scenario also creates a big problem for Caribbean Airlines. How is CAL expected to grow, create employment and profit for Trinidad & Tobago when the foreign CEO’s are creating unmanageable competition, selling out or are plainly incompetent? In a press release from British Airways published in the 360 Caribbean News on July 2nd 2007, it states, “British Airways plan to shape the future of aviation in the Caribbean.”  

As a Trinidadian and West Indian, I am very concerned when I see these plans. I am even more concerned that our foreign CEO’s are aiding the bigger and more powerful bodies like Delta and British Airways in taking over and preventing the development of our resources in Trinidad & Tobago. Could the real intention behind the sale of our London Heathrow slot, code sharing with BA, closing of BWIA and the hiring of Peter Davies be to aid British Airways in their plan to shape & dominate Caribbean aviation? These decisions must be investigated! 

The World Tourism Organization forecasts a dramatic doubling of tourism by the year 2020, Delta, BA and others must be positioning themselves to take control of the anticipated future profits there from, once again leaving the smaller and helpless Caribbean nations and people struggling and the foreign CEO’s seem to be their agents in our lands. Is the government aiding this as well or are they just oblivious, sleeping or just under the control of these huge foreign entities?

Many actions and decisions being undertaken by the foreign CEO’s plaguing Trinidad just do not make any competent, realistic or practical sense. Are these foreign CEO’s more powerful than the government, isn’t the government independently analyzing these decisions or are they giving full authority and a blank cheque to the foreign CEO’s. If so, Trinidad & Tobago’s future looks bleak. Who knows what other decisions and actions are being undertaken right now by the foreign CEO’s that go against our national interest that we don’t know about? This is just one issue mentioned here today. 

The time has come for Trinidadians & Tobagonians to take their future into their own hands and stop the modern day colonization of Trinidad & Tobago through these foreign CEO’s and incompetent and unpatriotic individuals or government officials. You have the right to question their policies and decisions because the government and foreign CEO’s work for you. A national election is looming, this is one of the most important elections in Trinidad & Tobago’s history.

When you vote, vote based on the issues and policies affecting you and the country. Trinidadians and Tobagonians must stop the traditional parochial thinking – “I am a PNM, I am a UNC, I am a COP etc. We have to look beyond this and at the issues affecting the country, examine your political candidate well, look at their track record and given any sign of dishonesty or questionable act, you should not vote for him or her. Choosing honest representatives is the first step in ridding our country of its current ills.

We are all one brotherhood in T&T, capable of managing our own affairs, it is just a matter of finding honest, honorable and patriotic Trinidadians and Tobagonians for the job. I am confident they do exist. Look around you, maybe they could be the very people you associate and socialize with. I am not advocating any party; I am advocating good governance and the support of good people. The doctrine of personal responsibility must be a cardinal feature of our country’s progress and development.

Stop the corporate invasion and colonization of Trinidad & Tobago. Some of the policies T&T is adopting now will not change our “Third World” status into a First World Nation status by 2020, it could however, see us demoted and set a new international precedent, that of a “Fourth World Nation,” if we are not cautious and diligent.

Published by FPKARIM - 2007-08-13

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