THA: $45k salary for Tobago Tourism chairman

TOBAGO Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL) executive chairman Alicia Edwards is being paid a salary of $45,000 a month, THA Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris has revealed.

“Currently, the monthly remuneration of the executive chairman is a salary of $45,000, which was the salary paid to the previous CEO (Louis Lewis),” she said during Thursday’s plenary sitting in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough.

Burris was responding to a question from PNM Minority councillor Petal Daniel-Benoit.

She said apart from her salary, Edwards, in keeping with previous allowances given to the previous CEO, also has access to a cellular phone, the expenses for which are covered by the agency, as well as a a company vehicle and entertainment expenses, also both borne by the agency.

“It should be noted that the executive chairman does not receive any additional remuneration or allowances for board duties neither any of the additional allowances and fees the previous CEO received. These include housing allowance, repatriation fee and gratuity.”

Last July, Edwards, at a virtual media briefing, announced that Lewis had resigned as TTAL CEO, after five years on the job.

She said he submitted his resignation in June and it was accepted by the board. It took effect from August 12, 2022.

Edwards had said, “His contract is actually not up. His contract comes to an end in 2023, but he was not interested in a renewal, and thereafter he would have submitted his resignation. His last day at work is actually August 12, so he is actually CEO and in place until August 12.”

At Thursday’s sitting, Burris said a new TTAL CEO should be appointed early next month.

She said after the resignation of the former CEO, a process started to recruit a replacement.

Burris said, initially, it was anticipated that this process would take approximately six months.

“The official recruitment process has been completed. A report from the board was forward for executive council consideration and a decision was made.

“An offer would be made and upon acceptance of that offer, the person will be engaged and an official announcement will be made.”

Daniel-Benoit also sought answers in relation to the process that was used in appointing Edwards as executive chairman.

Burris responded, “In light of the departure of the CEO, a decision was taken at executive council because it was required to have somebody sit in the position until the process of appointing a new CEO was done.

“It was recognised that within the organisational structure of the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd there existed no other senior person who could take up the chair as an acting CEO during that time so a decision was taken to ask the chairman to perform executive chairman duties and that was agreed to at executive council.”