Tobagonians proved resilient in 2019

Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles says 2020 is a year for putting matters into perspective for all Tobagonians.

Sharing his New Year message, Charles said, “It is important that as we seek to steer the course and move forward together, we embrace the mindset that we are second to none. Let us make this attitude an integral part of our lives and consciousness. Only then we can meet our destination together as one island.”

He said Tobago is on a path of “unprecedented growth and development” through maximising the potential of all who live on the island.

He said his administration will continue serving the people of Tobago and encourage further development. Charles encouraged Tobagonians to play their parts by working together towards the ultimate goal and stray away from being alienated.

“We have already begun laying the groundwork for a more progressive and sustainable Tobago in the future. One that is resilient and can contribute more significantly to the twin-island republic.”

The island can only achieve this level of success if all Tobagonians “resolve to make a tangible contribution to our development,” Charles said.

“I want to urge you, as we reflect on the past couple of months, to not only note the shortcoming as an island but also to underscore our areas of potential.”

He said 2019 was "a year that spoke to our tenacity as a people. It spoke to our ability to draw the inner reserve of strength after the hardships and to continue treading on.”

In 2019 Charles said too many lives were lost in the ten murders recorded.

“Therefore let us with every fibre of our being and every ounce of our strength truly work alongside the police to ensure our safety and security of our beloved island is maintained.”

He said disasters throughout Tobago after storm Karen in September were a memory that stained the minds of all Tobagonians.

Homes were flooded and there were landslides on the northern and western sides of Tobago. In the east, the fisherfolk association reported almost a million dollars in damage to fishing vessels. The capital bore the full brunt of Karen’s rage when the downtown Scarborough Ferry Port became impassable. A number of businesses on the Old Milford Road, including Scotiabank, suffered thousands in damage and losses.

“However the island was able to return to a level of normalcy in a very short space of time. Many of those affected received grants for repairs.

“This year was also a year of jubilation for us here in Tobago after we copped the silver award for the best national tourism board campaign at the International Tourism and Travel Awards. Tobago also earned third place title for best destination country ahead of some of the world’s best tourist destinations.”

He said Tobago has also shown significant achievements in education, as three of the island’s SEA students were listed in the 200 top performers nationally for the first time.

In the CAPE examination, one Tobago student came top nationally and placed second in the region in industrial technology. Several others also came top regionally in French, Spanish, and performing arts. Two of these students were awarded a national scholarship.

He said the assembly will continue to focus on vocational training and certification of Tobagonians in 2020.

The Roxborough Administrative Complex, Barbados Bay Jetty, and the rehabilitation of the Claude Noel Highway were among the projects Charles said were some of the biggest achievements in 2019.

In 2020, he said, there will be a complete transformation of Tobago’s health care system with the completion of the Roxborough Hospital. This includes constructing a recycling depot as part of the assembly’s future waste management strategy.