Morris questions TTAL chairman's qualifications

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris has questioned why Alicia Edwards was appointed executive chairman of the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL), when there was someone more suitably qualified to take up the post.

In his three-hour response on Thursday to the $4.5 billion budget in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough, Morris noted Minority councillor Petal Daniel-Benoit had posed a question about the issue on the order paper to Secretary of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation Tashia Burris in April.

Burris, he recalled, claimed there was no other senior person to take up the chair as an acting CEO position so a decision was taken to ask the chairman to perform executive chairman duties.

Morris also recalled that Burris had said that the executive chairman also receives a renumeration package of over $45,000, a month, plus allowances.

He said he had serious concerns about Edwards’ appointment.

“I have before me information that at the time this decision was made the then product development manager, not only had years of relevant experience but he is also the holder of a PhD in tourism,” Morris said.

“So here it is the secretary came to the House, telling the House, misleading the House, that there was no one within the management framework of the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd with the relevant qualifications to hold down or act in the post of executive chairman.

“But here it is information at hand shows that the director of product development had a PhD in tourism and multiple years in experience.”

Morris said he understands the man is now managing a hotel.

He said he could not understand how Edwards, whom he claimed does not have a comprehensive knowledge of the tourism industry, could have been appointed to the post when the sector’s performance is at al all-time low.

“You throw away a man with a PhD in tourism and you install and appoint a close relative of a former Minority Leader who, as far as I understand, is one of the behind the door advisers of this administration to the position of executive chairman, but also having the CEO position.”

The Darrel Spring/Whim assemblyman called on Burris to reveal Edwards’ qualifications in relation to that of the director of product development.

“Does she even have qualifications in tourism? Tell us what are her qualifications, what is her previous experience in tourism management.

“Because you cannot tell me your island is underperforming, your island is at a point where it needs to rebuild its tourism sector and it puts basically a novice to run the affairs of tourism. Allyuh not serious.”

“You take an inexperienced person, not even a qualification in tourism, to head Tobago’s most important sector and you expect to get the requisite results. That is the definition of madness.”

In April, Burris told the House that the $45,000 being paid to Edwards was also paid to TTAL’s previous CEO Louis Lewis.

She said apart from her salary, Edwards, in keeping with allowances previously given to Lewis, also has access to a cellular phone, the expenses for which are covered by TTAL, as well as company vehicle and entertainment expenses, 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.”