Why Tobago needs new airport

THE EDITOR: Why spend $100 million plus on the present airport terminal which will be soon outgrown? The Prime Minister said that the renovated airport will serve us for 20 years. But this conflicts with the THA’s projections for two to four hundred tourist visitors over the next five years. A new airport for Tobago was announced more than five to seven years ago. What’s happening, Mr Chief Secretary? Long term vision dictates this; we cannot be shortsighted with such matters. A new airport located at the eastern end of the runway where there are many acres of undeveloped land will:-

(1) Provide better facilities in a spacious setting rather than the currently cramped location, which will become more cramped when the current unwisely proposed developments take place.
(2) Alleviate the growing traffic chaos of Canaan-Crown Point area.
(3) Allow the Canaan-Crown Point area the breathing space to grow into a higher quality resort area.
(4) Provide for easier access to the airport using a new “exit” off the Shirvan-Milford Road intersection.
(5) Better cater for future air and sea transportation (connection) needs with the development of the Cove Business and Industrial Park and inevitable future industrial port.

While the details of the currently planned expansion have not been communicated to us residents to date, I am of the opinion that a ten thousand square feet arrival/departure hall addition, along with some ramp improvement, all costing less than $50 million, will be adequate in the interim to cater for short term needs. Then instead of spending $100 million now (or did the news say $225 million recently announced by the THA Secretary for Finance in his 2005 Budget presentation — we don’t even know for sure), the THA should be preparing to turn the sod and start construction of a new airport which should be ready by 2006, well ahead of the 2007 Cricket World Cup and the boom in our tourism growth expected as our national economy attains the high growth projected. I guess that $250-350 million will fully cover our new airport development, an amount that is very affordable for Trinidad and Tobago. We need wise decision-making. So let’s have the new airport please! With a burgeoning Tourist industry, how can we not hurriedly develop our long needed new airport terminal?

(1) 48,000 tourists in 2001, 61,000 in 2002, 70,000 in 2003 and 100,000 in 2004 demand it.
(2) Multiple World Travel and other awards for being the world’s best eco-tourism destination, having the best Caribbean eco resort and others demand it.
(3) The prospect of consequent growth to 125,000, 150,000, 200,000 or more tourists over the medium term demands it.
(4) The 2007 Cricket World Cup with the expectation of games to be played in Tobago demands it.
(5) The unavailability of room for comfortable uncongested expansion at the current location demands it.
(6) The need to bring greater calmness and serenity to the near overcrowded and fast growing Canaan-Bon Accord-Crown Point resort area demands it.
(7) The advantages of the now empty and available lands at Friendship Estate (for which development planning approval will not be granted as it is deemed to lie along the flight path) and lying in ideal proximity to the Cove Business and Industrial Park demand it.
(8) The easy access and connection to the Claude Noel Highway demand it. I can assure you that in less than five years severe congestion and overcrowding will make travelling to the airport on the existing roadway a big nightmare.
(9) The need to save the more than $100 or 200 million proposed to be spent (wasted?) on the planned unwise extension of current terminal demands it.
(10) The current accessibility of necessary financing demands it.
Please act expeditiously, Mr Chief Secretary. God bless you all.

C CARLSON
Tobago