Tobago's blueprint blues

TOBAGO HOUSE of Assembly (THA) Deputy Chief Secretary Watson Duke’s presentation to a forum in the United Arab Emirates underlines the need for a clearer development plan for the island, including capital sourcing policies that prioritise investors closer to home.

Mr Duke, speaking at the TT Business Forum and National Day at the Dubai Expo 2020, spoke of the need for investors for “the green economy,” poverty levels on the island, agriculture, housing, the idea of a new port to serve South America, casinos, malls and entertainment hubs.

In a rhetorical gesture, he pulled out a $100 bill, stating “blueprints” were needed, and at the same time also teased the establishment of economic zones in what he described as “the city of Roxborough.”

In response, THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris has raised concerns about the expenses and planning for Tobago’s participation at the Dubai event. He also queried whether any approvals had been granted for establishing economic zones.

“You can’t be going out there with something that you would have conjured up in your head, and nobody in Tobago had an input,” Mr Morris said.

The Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) assumed power in Tobago promising to help Tobago stand on its own, with its own finances. It has begun a process of auditing the affairs of the past PNM administration. It is in this context that its effort to woo investment in the island should be understood.

However, that process must be subject to transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to the finer details of things like big-delegation trips. The details of Dubai should be fully disclosed. The THA administration should explain what exactly its objectives were and whether those objectives were achieved. Like the Prime Minister’s recent trip to Qatar, the timing was not ideal, given global developments.

With all sorts of implications of the war in Europe evident, there’s a greater need for self-reliance and the sourcing of resources closer to home.

The fact of vast wealth in one country should not blind Tobago authorities to the need to have a clear domestic agenda making the most of existing resources, as well as a plan to source strategic investments.

For example, the seeming lack of sensitivity to the need for a robust approach to environmental issues, preservation and regulation arguably played a role in some of the blowback against the ill-fated proposal for building a new hotel belonging to an internationally famous hotel chain.

Mr Duke’s reference to social issues on the island suggests a belief in the relationship between such issues and economic development.

It is correct that if ordinary citizens cannot benefit in some trickle-down way from macro-economic policies, then the point of such policies is undermined.

However, it is because ordinary Tobagonians are depending on Mr Duke and his colleagues to put Tobago in a better position that greater care must be taken to make meaningful plans when it comes to kickstarting the economy.