TPP blueprint to modernise Tobago, enhance tourism

THE Tobago People’s Party (TPP) launched its blueprint for the island on January 1, unveiling a four-year plan as well as a 20-year vision, at the Uptown Fascinators Pan Theatre in Scarborough.

TPP political leader Farley Augustine said the blueprint is a comprehensive strategic plan designed to guide the island’s development from 2026 to 2030. It will be officially released in the next few days. He said it is part of a broader strategic development pathway plan through to 2045.

Part of the plan is for the THA to achieve 70 per cent efficiency by 2035 and 95 per cent efficiency by 2045. He said it was important to reduce transaction times and convert THA systems to digital.

He said there will be a push towards doing business digitally, adding that business owners who do strictly cash transactions are stymieing their growth. He said by 2035 this must be a reality for most Tobago businesses.

Another key aspect is the implementation of a minimum $5,500 wage by 2027 and minimum five-year contracts for "10 days" workers.

He said by 2035, the TPP intends to have a GDP per capita of US$10,000, and US$20,000 by 2045. He said this would be achieved through public-private partnerships.

Addressing tourism, Augustine said the industry must account for six per cent of economic contribution by 2030, and eight per cent by 2035.

"To achieve that we want a 25-plus per cent increase in long stay by 2030 and a 60 per cent increase in short stays by 2035."

He said Tobago needs at least 1,500 four-star or five-star rooms on the island.

"We ain't want nothing too shabby. We want it done well...We are engaging luxury hotels."

He mentioned developments with Marriott Hotel, Hilton and the Elephant Tree.

He said "community tourism" must not be ignored and said eco-tourism and sport tourism would also be incorporated.

However, he said environmental goals must be adhered to and the TPP would not support privatisation of beaches.

He said the blueprint is designed to align with the achievement of the sustainable development goals for the island.

Augustine said food security is crucial and a TPP-led THA would provide a $100,000 grant funding to farmers 35 years old and younger.

On public infrastructure, said the TPP would spend $600 million annually.

"That means improved road network."

Among the projects, he mentioned the Darrel Spring boardwalk, fixing the road at Turpin Bend, a transit hub in Scarborough, and returning commercial activity to the capital, which he acknowledged was in decline.

Augustine, who is also the party’s candidate for Parlatuvier, L’Anse Fourmi/ Speyside described the blueprint as more people centred and people focused, noting that it has strategies that treats with how people can be moved from where they are to where they need to be.

“I have seen major gaps in the other document (PNM's Big Bold Red Deal ) about how social welfare programmes – how they plan to make education a tool for equalising all our citizens and for this great opportunity for self-actualisation, so that’s one major difference.”

He said the TPP is not just outlining objectives but laying the blueprint.

“They say they would create 7000 jobs, but they haven’t quite said how they would create 7,000 jobs. We showed how we can create 8,000-plus jobs and the sectors we can create them in, how we are going to introduce those sectors and how we are going to get those sectors to work for our island’s development.”

He said in the blueprint, five strategic areas that ought to be covered in ensuring that the island’s development is heading in the right direction were explored. The overall development philosophy, the social contract, the strategic policy agenda, the grand vision and priorities as well as the implementation logic, he said, were important.

“This blueprint is really about building a brighter Tobago. It is really about building a Tobago where every Tobago child has the opportunity to self-actualise, Tobago must be the space where we build bright futures for all our people – not just for some. This is a government for the many and not just for the few, this is not just for a certain class of people, we’re not just building a government just so our contractor friends alone will get through, we’re building a government so the man who isn’t a contractor must get through too. Everybody must get through in the next four years.”

He said his team spent the last four years fixing and now the next four years would be spent building. The blueprint, he said, is not just constructed for the architects or the engineers.

“Everyone on the construction site reads from the same blueprint. The engineer, the architects, the builder, the carpenter the mason, the plumber the electrician, the man who putting down the tiles, the man who making out the windows, installing the windows and the doors, the man who painting – everybody working on the construction site must utilise the same blueprint.”

Prior to his address, there were introductory remarks from the candidate for Darrel Spring/ Whim Ricky Joefield and deputy political leader and candidate for Mason Hall South/ Bagatelle Nathisha Charles-Pa​ntin.

Deputy political leader and candidate for Belle Garden/ Goodwood Dr Faith Brebnor delved into a critical review of the administration’s performance, presenting the “Scorecard,” an assessment of the administration’s governance over the past four years. Brebnor’s presentation outlined the party’s key achievements and delivery on past mandates.