Hoteliers: THA better suited to police marine parks

TOBAGO Hotel and Tourism Association (THTA) first vice-president Rene Seepersadsingh says he fully supports giving the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) the legislative authority to oversee marine parks on the island.

At the launch of the book, Coral Reefs of Trinidad and Tobago, at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex, on June 10, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine told the audience that he had asked the government to give the THA the legislative “teeth” to effectively police marine parks in Tobago.

He recalled the THA had sent a bill to the Parliament in November 2020 asking that it be granted significant legislative power to police the marine parks.

Augustine urged the new government to seriously consider its request.

“I have already asked that that be one of the actionable items between June and December this year,” he said.

Augustine said legislation would be one of the ways through which the THA could aggressively protect its marine environment.

On June 17, Seepersadsingh told Newsday he could not say what Augustine envisaged in asking the government for the legislative authority to police marine parks.

“In terms of the marine park, they would have to clarify, but certainly having a bit more autonomy, yes, because they are far better poised to know what areas need to be monitored. I think operationally it would be more practical,” he said.

“But Tobago having more autonomy in policing in general in Tobago is something that we will support. I think the assembly and the stakeholders in Tobago have a far better idea as to how things operate on the island.”

“Currently, both the police and Coast Guard, depending on what area it is, would have some responsibility for the marine parks. But I think the THA would probably be the better authority to manage those areas.”

However, Seepersadsingh said any proposed legislation would not minimise the work of the Ministry of National Security.

“But from a practical level there is nothing wrong with the THA setting up its own unit, under the legislation and with the guidance of central government.”

He said every natural resource must be properly managed.

“We, as a sector, don’t envisage management of the marine parks to be a negative. In fact, we think it’s the opposite because we have had complaints about things like party boats, indiscriminate abuse of the reefs, dumping, and clearly we have not had the success we wanted. So I think managing it will be to the benefit of everyone, including the marine operators.

“But there should be a system to manage it, whether it’s through licensing (division), whether it’s through certain times, with stated rules and regulations, like everywhere else in the world.”

Seepersadsingh believes a more structured oversight arrangement for the marine parks will give visitors a better experience “which could only benefit all of us.”

In a statement in April 2022, the Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development complained about what it called the “emergent unauthorised use” of the Buccoo Marine Park, especially for hosting parties.

On that occasion, it said the park was a restricted marine area under the Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act of 1970.

The division said, then, that parties and alcohol consumption in the Buccoo Reef Marine Park were strictly prohibited, adding that visits to the site were only permitted between 10 am and 5.30 pm.

It said that only registered or insured boats with access and/or transit permits issued by the division were allowed into the marine park.