PNM candidate: Airport will ensure bright future

PNM candidate for Canaan/Bon Accord Clarence Jacob said the ANR Robinson airport expansion project will ensure a bright future for Tobagonians.

Addressing a PNM meeting on Wednesday night at Milford Park, Bon Accord, Jacob alluded to the controversy that has surrounded the project within the past few months.

But he urged affected residents to keep an open mind.

“My policy is, where there are negatives there are positives. Let us look at the future,” he said.

“The prime minister, in his wisdom realised that Tobago needs something sustainable and once we have a port of entry where more planes or boats could come, we could have some form of sustainability.”

Jacob, outgoing Secretary for Settlements, Urban Renewal and Public Utilities, claimed he spoke to many of the affected residents.

“Some persons collected their dividends and were satisfied. Some have not completed their negotiations. But everyone got a chance to negotiate.”

Jacob said a new airport will generate employment. “When you have a new airport, you have more arrivals. When you have more arrivals, more taxi drivers.

“You have to get more persons on the ramp. You have to have more persons at the desk. You have to have more culinary people.”

He added: “Look at it in a positive way because this is not for us. Every man has to die at some point but we have to make sure that we don’t deprive our children from a better future.”

Jacob said development is a journey “and sometimes we have ins and outs and rough edges at times.

“But this issue would take us to betterment, to a better future.”

Jacob also urged Tobagonians to focus on the agriculture sector in 2021.

He said they should identify five crops that can be produced on the island.

“When I look on the Caricom jetty, there are boats coming from Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica to feed Trinidad and Tobago. Can we feed ourselves?

So, I want to put this to you, ‘Let us focus on agriculture.’ He said while the ‘early morning wuk’ will ‘block a hole,’ young people must be innovative.

“We have markets in Trinidad. If we plant sweet potato in a big way, we could supply Trinidad. We could supply the Massys and PriceSmarts. Not this early morning wuk.”

Jacob said he also intends to construct 400 houses this year.

“Our policy says 2,000. But, I want to start with 400 because construction of a house is important. Every man wants a home for himself.”