Build cruise ship facility in Courland

I, for one, on enquiring as to what I ought to do in light of the changed circumstances, was advised of two options: (1) either to return later or (2) book in, take a stroll around Scarborough, and return in time to have my vehicle boarded. I chose the latter. What was amazing was that the female booking clerk seemed to be more interested in “having a wine”, courtesy an approaching music truck, rather than in offering solace to those of us passengers who would have found ourselves exposed to the baking sun for at least four hours.

The four hours wait did, however, provide this writer with an unexpected opportunity to make some observations. It so happened that a cruise ship was “in town”. Here, I thought was perhaps an explanation for the delay in arrival of the TT Express for, I did recall, that this vessel, unlike the TT Spirit, is not fitted with a ramp of its own and had, on occasion, been prone to be unable to off-load its motor vehicle cargo on account of turbulence which tends to occur whenever a cruise ship is at moorings at high tide at the Scarborough port. Needless to say my suspicion, (which has not been confirmed), was heightened when, rather than sailing to Port-of-Spain at 5 pm, the TT Express arrived at Scarborough at 5 pm — the exact time that the cruise ship was taking its exit out of the Port of Scarborough. What a co-incidence!

The fact that the cruise ship was in port had provided me with an opportunity to make a few observations. These are as follows:

1. There appeared to have been very little pre-arranged activity to capture any expenditures from the visitors, bearing in mind the shortness of the visit, in particular. Indeed the only persons who seem to have benefitted could have been the maxi and taxi tour operators and, even here, the operation could be improved. Thoughtfully, a band playing local calypso music was in attendance at the quayside.

2. Shops along the Scarborough waterfront appear not to have witnessed any marked unusual increases in sales attributable to the visitors in their midst .It was clear that most visitors were wondering askance and “unconnected”.

3. Scarborough continues to exhibit the appearance of a town littered by shacks erected in an uncontrolled manner with even the market being but a conglomerate of shacks. Not surprising, this writer saw no presence of visitors here.

4. This writer, on a previous occasion , had alluded to the location of the ferry ramp which, he still feels, ought to have been located in close proximity to the Terminal Building, that is, the area now being used as the cruise ship berthing area. Such a change would thus make for less strain on local ferry “foot” passengers, in particular.

5. Indeed, given the inconvenience being experienced by locals, and exasperated by the occasional cruise ship arrivals at Scarborough, one can be skeptical as to a positive outcome in a cost-benefit analysis of the cruise ship activity, as presently organised.

6. Finally, if the authorities are interested in fostering tourism by cruise ship, consideration should be given to constructing a cruise ship terminal at the beautiful sheltered natural harbour at Courland Bay, Plymouth. This would enable access to the western side of Tobago where most of the island’s tourist plant and infrastructure are now located, in contrast with the closeted congestion at Scarborough. Cost of construction at Plymouth ought not to be untenable .

Errol OC Cupid

Trincity