Yo hablo espanol, senor!

Government’s publicly announced position that Spanish is Trinidad and Tobago’s first foreign language, is a recognition that the country with its rapidly expanding cultural and trading links with Latin America needs to gear an increasing number of its citizens to being able to communicate in Spanish.

This has been further emphasised by this country’s being the headquarters of the predominantly Spanish-speaking Association of Caribbean States, and its status as the front-runner for the hosting of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Already, many made in Trinidad and Tobago products bear labels in which the information is written in both English and Spanish as the country’s manufacturers pursue their thrust into the largely Spanish-speaking markets of those of South and Central America. And that of Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean as well.

Meanwhile, with Trinidad and Tobago as the hub of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and, eventually, that of the around-the-corner FTAA, in which 18 of the 34 units of the proposed FTAA have Spanish as their first language, the need to communicate directly rather than through interpreters increases. With this, negotiations between Latin American and TT in business matters for example are conducted quicker. Instead of only Spanish-speaking representatives knowing both their language and English, their English-speaking counterparts are, in turn, fully acquainted with the Spanish language. Artificial barriers to more vigorous trading contacts are broken down. This can lead to the preparation of citizens for the challenges and opportunities of regional expansion.

Proficiency in both English and Spanish would provide prospective investors with a workforce which could communicate effectively. In addition, if Trinidad and Tobago is serious about enhancing its trading capacity it must be responsive to the growing markets and increasing economic power of (largely) Spanish-speaking Latin America. In the same way that members of Trinidad and Tobago trade missions to Latin America should be fully acquainted with the Spanish language, representatives of business, Government officials and others dealing in TT with Spanish speaking Latin American businessmen/women on a visit here should be fluent in the language.

This would apply also to Customs and Immigration officers, airline personnel, baggage handlers, staff at duty-free shops and airport taxi drivers. Knowledge of Spanish would be beneficial as well for the promotion of business if, for example, the staff at the larger downtown Port-of-Spain shops and those of suburban malls were able to communicate effectively in Spanish. Of interest is that many Trinidad and Tobago corporate leaders, as well as medium-sized businesses, several with extensive interests throughout the Caribbean, and yet others even outside of the region, will be better positioned to effect greater market penetration of Spanish-speaking South and Central America. The potential benefits are there.