Is a port in Toco justifiable?

From published reports, one may conclude that the Cabinet has decided to construct the port, thus keeping Dr Rowley’s election promise.

Dr Rowley and his Cabinet must be reminded that this is 2016 and not 1956 and they should appreciate that the people now wish to have an input when plans affecting them are being considered, whether it be a new Constitution, construction of aluminium smelters or a port in Toco.

I enjoyed residing in Tobago for 18 years and using the convenient ferry service between the two islands. In my opinion, one of the best things to have happened to Tobago in the past 50 years was the introduction of the fast ferry service ten years ago.

The trip either way takes approximately two and a half hours.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, I believe the majority of people travelling from Scarborough by the ferry do so to conduct business, to shop, for medical purposes, or to visit family and friends, with maxi-taxis, PTSC buses and water-taxis all easily accessible from the ferry terminal in Port-of-Spain.

At present the alternative to travelling by ferry is to use the air bridge to Piarco and then taxi to Port-of-Spain or other areas. This incurs an additional cost and travel time on arrival. Remember the cost and time for the return trip.

What are the benefits, if any, to be derived from the construction of a port at Toco? In addition to the cost to passengers for taxi or bus fare and the travel time, an important consideration must be the significant increase in the cost of living in Tobago due to the increase in the cost of transporting foodstuff, building materials and other supplies from businesses in western Trinidad to Scarborough via Toco.

Are Tobagonians prepared to endure an increase in their cost of living and are the residents of Toco prepared to accept the construction and operation of a port in their village? These answers should have been determined through consultations with the people of both Tobago and Toco before any construction was even considered. Is a port in Toco justifiable? The construction of the port, a terminal building, a holding area for cargo and for vehicles to be loaded onto the ferry, the land for the relocation of existing facilities, including those used by fisherfolk, and the parking area for maxi-taxis, buses and other vehicles will require a considerable area of possibly private lands.

Some other issues to be considered are: Will it be necessary to construct a jetty? Will it be necessary to dredge the harbour to accommodate the ferries? Will it be necessary to construct a breakwater to protect the ferries during high seas? Will the diesel for refuelling the ferries have to be transported from Sea Lots to Toco? Will the personnel empoyed at the port be recruited from among Toco residents? The upgrade of the Toco Road will necessitate the acquisition of a considerable acreage of private lands and the construction of several bridges.

The bottom line to these grandiose plans is that we have no money to accomplish them. We will be borrowing the required money from the Inter-American Development Bank, thus increasing the debt which we will be leaving for future generations.

You and I, Dr Rowley and his Cabinet members will long be gone.