Yachting industry: We can't afford another lost season

The yachting industry has been largely shut down since the start of the pandemic, the Yachting Association (YSATT) said in a recent release, and it is pleading with Government to allow international yacht arrivals.

Sea and air borders were closed on March 22 in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Arrivals into TT need an exemption granted by the Minister of the National Security to enter the country.

“The yacht services sector in Trinidad is world class and operates as a direct foreign exchange earning industry; this income is being lost. The customers to this industry directly and indirectly support several thousands of local incomes and their families; their livelihood is being lost,” YSATT said on Friday.

The jobs and quality/variety of services provided by local yacht service cannot be found anywhere else in the Caribbean, it added.

There are also yachts owned by foreign nationals moored in Trinidad and these people are being barred from accessing their property, while other clients sailing in the region cannot dock to get repairs.

Chaguaramas is a hub for yachting services in the region because of its sheltered status out of the hurricane belt, as well as its highly-skilled professionals, but the industry has been struggling with a variety of challenges including immigration clearance bureaucracy and competition from other islands like Grenada. And now covid19 has dealt a significant blow.

“There is a perceived apathy on the Government’s part to the plight of our workforce…there is no scientific basis for not granting travel exemptions to (yachting) customers (among whom) covid19 transmission risk is incredibly low and manageable,” YSATT said, adding that there have been no reported infection or transmission of covid19 in the Caribbean yachting community – and the same holds globally.

“The majority of this population is of retirement age and take all precautions to reduce the risk to themselves and others from this viral pandemic.”

The association noted that while TT’s borders remain closed, other islands, including Grenada and St Lucia, have successfully reopened and managed their yachting sector through testing, mandatory quarantine periods either aboard vessels or in designated spaces, and other strict controls.

The association said in May it had made recommendations to the Roadmap to Recovery committee as well as creating a proposal jointly with the Port Health Safety System for the safe reopening of the sector, submitted to the Chief Medical Officer.

It has also met with various state divisions and the Coast Guard, as well as National Security Minister Stuart Young and Finance Minister Colm Imbert. While YSATT said both ministers were “sensitive to the plight of the industry and its many suffering labourers and gave assurances to revisit the situation…To date, YSATT has been unable to secure any further meeting.”

The association outlined its months-long quest to get approvals and exemptions to no avail – even though the CMO gave final approval to the industry proposal for safe reopening.

“Should our Government deem further protocols and measures to be required for the safe reopening YSATT would take all possible actions to see that they are fulfilled.

"A whole season has been missed for thousands of dependent workers in the sector. It is absolutely imperative that any approvals come ahead of the season which is fast approaching." Should another season be missed or delayed, YSATT fears it could be the final nail in the coffin for many in the industry. The association said because of its efforts and the feelings of depression among the thousands of struggling workers in the industry, it has felt pressure to make public the details of its attempts to restart the industry.

“Our people’s livelihoods are at stake,” it said.