BYisrael seeks support for ‘University of Tobago’

Minority Councillor Faith BYisrael will today move a motion under Private Business in the Tobago House of Assembly’s Legislature seeking support for the establishment of a ‘University of Tobago.’

According to the Order Paper for today’s sitting, BYisreal will argue that there is a need for an indigenous tertiary education institution that focusses on resolving Tobago-specific development issues while offering innovations to the world.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Minority Council press briefing at James Park, she said there was a need to marry education and tourism with the ‘University of Tobago’ to create an enhanced tourism product since the traditional sand sea and sun model means Tobago competes with every other island in the Caribbean.

The university would be geared primarily to outsiders coming in and being trained locally, this bringing in foreign exchange by paying tuition, as generating spinoff activities such as communities providing accommodation to students and visiting friends and relatives, she said, adding that people will be in Tobago year around because of the institution.

BYisrael also noted that one of the questions she will today ask in the House will be on the status and findings of a Comprehensive Economic Impact Assessment on the Tobago Jazz Experience over the past 10 years.

She recalled that the THA had announced in April 2018, that it was hiring consultant Dr Ralph Henry to do the assessment but that no information has since been provided to the public.

The report should ideally be presented in the House for the records and be available to the public, she said.