Business groups: Deal with Tobago crime before it crushes tourism, economy

TOURISM is the lifeblood of Tobago’s economy.

The island’s unique, indigenous heritage, picturesque beaches and renowned historic landmarks have made it an ideal destination for visitors both at home and abroad.

But that reputation is being threatened by an upsurge in murders and other violent crimes, the likes of which Tobago have never experienced before, stakeholders contend.

On July 8, three men were gunned down in Black Rock while playing a card game outside of a shop along the main road. A fourth died at the Scarborough General Hospital the following day.

The killings, in just seven months, pushed Tobago’s murder toll for 2024 to 16. The island recorded 14 murders in 2023.

Police believe the majority of the murders are gang-related.

With an economy still rebounding from the crippling effects of the covid19 pandemic four years ago and more recently, an oil spill, off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Park, there is growing concern among stakeholders that a continued increase in murders and gun violence could be devastating for Tobago's economy.

The Tobago Business Chamber hopes that aspects of the crime plan announced at the July 9 National Security Council meeting at the Central Administrative Services – Tobago will produce results for Tobagonians.

Chamber chairman Martin George said the meeting must be more than just a talk shop and photo-op.

“We want substantive, serious and definitive changes and improvements because we have said before that if it is that Tobago loses its feeling of safety and security and serenity and calm, then it really has very little to offer to a visitor,” he told Newsday.

“There is no tourist who is going to leave their homes to plan a vacation where there is a warning, a US advisory or a Canadian government advisory saying this place is not safe. Nobody wants to do that. Therefore, we have to be mindful of the impact that crime has on the business community and on the business of Tobago, which is primarily hinged on tourism.”

Rising crime in Tobago, he said, also has implications for locals.

“Even from the perspective of domestic tourism, where Trinidadians come to Tobago, a major draw of what they come for is to be able to let their hair down, to be able to relax and enjoy themselves in peace, harmony and security without having to look over their shoulders. Being free to go out at night, to have dinner, relax, lime with their friends, and enjoy themselves. They cannot always get that in Trinidad, so Tobago is very attractive to them in that regard.”

George fears Tobago may become the murder capital, “because right now the scary thing about it is that on a per capita basis, Tobago has more murders for the year thus far than Trinidad.

“If you consider for 60,000 people with 16 murders for the year, thus far, on a per capita basis, we are way ahead of Trinidad. So imagine that, Tobago which used to point fingers at Trinidad as the violent and criminal place is now ranking ahead of Trinidad on a per capita basis for murders for the year thus far. That’s not a good statistic, it is not a good look and it's something that definitely is not good for business. It is not good for the island. It is not good for the economy and it is definitely not good for Tobagonians.”

Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher, at a news conference after the security council meeting, outlined several initiatives, which the Police Service believes, will reduce violent crime in Tobago, including the transferring of Tobago-born officers to Trinidad. Over 90 per cent of the island's police officers are Tobagonians.

The Prime Minister raised concern over this citing the maxim that familiarity breeds contempt.

The plans also include the deployment of officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), training in intelligence-gathering and investigations, and increased surveillance through CCTV cameras across the island.

Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Curtis Williams said the organisation welcomes the initiatives to combat serious crime.

“We are quite happy about the feedback from the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary and the business community would definitely be working with the law enforcement agencies across the island to assist in any way we can. We are 100 per cent on board with them to bring things back to some sort of normality,” he said.

Williams said the island is abuzz with activity so the security of visitors should be a priority.

“We know the summer vacation is upon us and there will be guests visiting. We are also into heritage (festival) and we are going into the Tobago carnival (October) soon.”

Williams claimed villa bookings for the upcoming carnival are already at 60 per cent.

“We know that will go up as time goes by. So we want to keep the island as safe as possible, keeping all of the criminal elements out of the island.”

Saying the chamber’s members are very concerned about the rise in criminal activity on the island, he said many of them are considering hiring extra security.

“Just the mere fact of knowing that these things exist could really be a cost factor.”

In the meantime, Williams said the chamber has not received any feedback from tourists about Tobago’s crime situation. But he said hoteliers are very concerned.

“For them, Tobago has never had these kinds of activities before and you are now hearing these kinds of activities. So it is something for you to be aware of.

“But we have told them that this is not Tobago and something definitely will be done in the near future to keep these kinds of crimes out of the island.”

Despite the spike in murders, Jason Martin, general manager of the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Lowlands, said the hotel has not had any negative feedback from its foreign clientele.

“I can’t say that we have got any pushback directly or indirectly in the past few weeks or months. That does not mean that people do not have any hidden fears,” he said.

Martin said in his experience, that tourists visit islands like Tobago for its history and indigenous culture, to get away from city life.

“But they don’t expect to be robbed when they come here. So if we don’t curtail crime, is only a matter of time, it will affect.”

He said those who come for tours and other outdoor activities are more likely to be affected by crime because they do not expect to be robbed.

“I have not seen much of that clientele yet. Maybe they will show up around the summertime or they will show up around the end of the year when the winter season starts. Probably we haven’t gotten too much of them yet to get that kind of complaint.

“It does not mean that they are not reading the papers. All it takes is for the UK or US to give some kind of travel advisory, then you will feel the hurt. I have not seen anything direct or indirect yet (from tourists) but these things could affect bookings for the next period.”

Martin recalled in previous years, crime did hurt the island because of advisories that were issued.

Locally, he said several of the hotel’s employees were indirectly affected by crime because they had family members who were killed.

“In one department in particular it happened a lot there and the team morale dropped. In fact, we are considering getting some expert help for them. So people are affected indirectly from a local standpoint.”

Andy Clinton, president of the West End Taxi Drivers’ Association, regularly transports tourists. He said he had not received any negative feedback from them.

“As taxi drivers, we have to be concerned because we depend on the tourists to come here and if crime is escalating in Tobago, it is going to affect us in one way or the other because people would not want to come where there is a crime rate. So we as taxi drivers have to be more alert and aware of what is happening and know who we are transporting, who we are picking up.”

He said locals, too, are not immune from robberies and violent acts.

“So we have to be aware of everything that is taking place with our citizens and those who are visiting the country.”

Former president of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association Rene Seepersadsingh said escalating crime should always be a “deep concern” for Tobagonians.

“With such a small population, we should not be recording the numbers that have been trending. If it continues to trend in that direction, it would have an impact on tourist arrivals if the situation is not addressed,” he said.

Travel advisories, Seepersadsingh said, often result in a reduction in visitors.

“We have to be realistic. But how much of an impact, I don’t know.”

He said he has not heard of anyone who may have changed their travel plans as a result of the crime situation on the island.

“That is very difficult to measure.”

Seepersadsingh said business people will support the anti-crime strategies that have been implemented to reduce the scourge.

Apart from the deployment of GEB and IATF officers to Tobago, he especially welcomed the decision to rotate Trinidad and Tobago-based officers in an effort to ensure greater effectiveness.

“We are seeing measurable action right now and I hope it will have an impact. But if it is not treated with, I think there is cause for concern.”

George said the business chamber is encouraged by the meeting of the National Security Council.

“While we recognise that some of it might have purely been for the optics of it, we are hoping that something substantive comes out of it in terms of the recommendations and the plans and policies going forward.”

He was particularly enthusiastic about the addition of more CCTV cameras. There are currently 181 CCTV cameras in Tobago but monitored by officers at a base in Trinidad.

“But, of course, we would like to see those cameras being operational, monitored and the recording being made available where you have some criminal activity occurring so that they can be used and tendered in evidence.

“We don’t want another scenario as what we witnessed years ago in Trinidad and Tobago with security cameras not functional or you have something as huge as the blind blimp floating around in the sky and seeing nothing.”

At the news conference, Augustine said Tobago cannot withstand a continued increase in murders.

He said he was satisfied with the plans discussed, adding they would make a significant dent in the crime situation.

Augustine is optimistic Tobago would see a reduction in murders in comparison to the first half of the year.