TT fact-finding mission to Germany

Jason Baptiste, Marketing Manager of the Tourism Development Company (TDC), the marketing arm of the Tourism Ministry, Norvan Fullerton Director of Culture at the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs and Andre La Veau, Communications Manager of the Sports Ministry will represent their ministries on the trip, spearheaded by TDC.

Asked who will later comprise the cultural contingent to Germany, word from the office of Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams was that when Fullerton returns to Trinidad in a week’s time, they will decide on the artistes.

The Sports Ministry’s intention is marketing TT in every aspect while visiting Dortmund, Nuremburg and Kaiserslautern, the three cities where the National Football team will be playing in Germany, as well as other neighbouring cities.

At the launch of the Soca Warriors’ website earlier this year, Cultural Liaison Officer attached to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Soca Warriors campaign, Terry Joseph, told the media the Mayors of those cities had been invited to visit TT for Carnival, in an effort to learn more about this country and to plan marketing activities in the said cities.

But that plan didn’t come to fruition, neither did Sports Minister Roger Boynes take up an offer to go to Germany for the selection of positions last December and at the same time, seek out the marketing of the country. Hence the reason for this contingent going on a fact-finding mission.

However, Joseph did do some homework in that area in December and as a result he has been asked to join the mission in an effort to promote TT, after the LOC withdrew its cultural team from the Germany campaign last month.

The Committee was of the view that Government was taking too long to consider the financing of its own proposed cultural contingent hence the withdrawal. But they have sanctioned Joseph’s involvement in the mission, in the best interest of the country.