Minority Councillor wants Destination Tobago details

MINORITY councillor Dr Faith B.Yisrael says she is concerned about the absence of benchmarks in the Tobago House of Assembly's (THA's) new Destination Tobago tourist initiative.

She was contributing to debate on a motion in Thursday's plenary sitting of the THA, which called on members to support the initiatives of the Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation and the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd in promoting the island as a premier destination.

The motion, moved by PNM councillor Nadine Stewart-Phillips, Secretary for Culture, Tourism and Transportation, was debated the day after the Destination Tobago launch at Mt Irvine Bay Hotel.

Saying she is guided by process, B.Yisrael said while she had her own concerns about the initiative and its roll-out, Tobagonians also wanted more details.

For example, she said, some people, including her, had questions about the role of the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd, which is expected to lead the processing of rebranding the island.

"Are there smart objectives of the agency?" she asked.

"Maybe there are, and I am hoping that by the end of the session (plenary sitting) we can get them – objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant."

B.Yisrael asked: "How are we going to monitor and evaluate these initiatives? Because if it is not measured, we really don't know if we have achieved them or not.

"I am asking these questions not just for myself but the other members of the Tobago public who asked me to ask these specific questions."

B.Yisrael, who revealed she had posted the contents of the motion online to gauge feedback, said there is a misconception that Tobagonians are fully apprised of initiatives and plans being undertaken by the THA.

"Many (of the comments) were made publicly but a whole lot more of those comments were made privately, and though we are talking about wide consultation and having stakeholders be a part of the process, it seems, if you listen to what was said before, all of Tobago understands what is happening."

B.Yisrael, one of three sitting members of the Progressive Democratic Patriots in the THA, said the Assembly must address this deficiency.

"Even though those of us that are sitting in this House believe that all of Tobago knows and understands everything that is happening in the Tobago House of Assembly, that is not necessarily the case.

"There are many stakeholders who want to be engaged, who want to be involved but they have not been, and as a Tobago House of Assembly, we need to figure out how to do that a little better."

She said despite being the island's mainstay, Tobagonians still do not know the significance of the tourism sector to its economy.

"And because we are talking about the activities of this specific agency, if we have a base line, then we can say in a year from now, it has improved to this number, and five years from now, it has imporved to that number.

"So, we can say that the initiatives of this agency has actually impoved and has allowed the tourism sector to make a greater impact on the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of Tobago."

B.Yisrael also urged the PNM-run THA to provide details of instances in which the Assembly would have wasted money in the tourism sector over the years.