Build ferry terminal west of Maracas Bay

THE EDITOR: Recently rough waters forced the cancellation of the sea bridge service. The Bocas will always be troublesome as this is where the waters of the Gulf of Paria meet the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Mainly to avoid the Bocas, plans are in place to build a ferry terminal in Toco. The drive to Toco from the Nestle intersection is about three hours. Toco is too far. Toco is not optimal.

The vast majority of the heavily populated and heavily industrialised (manufacturers) areas in Trinidad are on the western side, so that the vast majority of Tobago-bound passengers will be driving three hours and more to get to Toco.

A more optimal location for a new ferry terminal is near Maracas Bay, specifically La Vache Bay. This is the bay one sees from the Maracas lookout. It is just west of Maracas Bay and has a long Point Radix-like tip that separates it from the bay. La Vache Bay is not developed in any great way and it is not a fishing boats bay. Indeed, it may become such as well. The terminal should be designed to accommodate cruise ships as well as a fair amount of cruise ship visitors visit Maracas Bay.

This is about 60 minutes from Port of Spain and even though across the Northern Range, that is a whole lot less than the drive to Toco. Plus, all will benefit from two roads for most of the way – the Maraval Road route and the San Juan route. A third road to access La Vache Bay from the west (Diego Martin) may be feasible later on.

All light trucks and smaller will not have a problem and the Port of Port of Spain can remain the terminal for the heavy trucks cargo ferry.

For the Trinidad-bound passengers, the less than 30-minute trip on a ferry from Scarborough to Toco does not represent a long enough rest period before they undertake a three-hour drive to their eventual destination in Trinidad.

To the naysayers, both locations will undergo some environmental and maybe even economic impact such as less fishing. Kindly research where else in the Caribbean has cruise ship terminals been built close to or even on beaches. Cruise ships dock at Charlotteville.

I ask the decision makers to make the drive to Toco, on a weekday – not chauffeured – and drive back. Time it.

Then drive to Maracas Beach, charter a boat or yacht and go to Scarborough and, of course, time it.

I also ask truck drivers who make the trip often to drive to Toco and back, preferably five consecutive days. Time it. Then tell all the public what you think.

Of course a feasibility study will be required – land to be cleared, an access road from the North Coast Road near Maracas to La Vache Bay to be constructed and the bay dredged. But all of this is also required for the Toco option.

Do travellers who live east of the Nestle intersection prefer a Toco ferry terminal? To my knowledge, no referendum has been done on the Toco location.

Decision makers, kindly hold a referendum or similar specifically to address Toco. I ask others to express their opinions on this. I hope to drive to Toco soon.

SHANAZ SUKHDEO

via e-mail

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"Build ferry terminal west of Maracas Bay"

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