The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) joins with citizens generally and the people of Tobago and other key stakeholders in particular, in expressing its disgust with the state of the Tobago-Trinidad transportation link. The most recent imbroglio with respect to the absence of a dedicated and appropriate cargo vessel to service the needs of Tobago is but the latest in what must seem to all citizens as a never-ending crisis.
In the first place, there should never arise a situation where the vital transportation link of a dedicated cargo vessel becomes broken. All the information in the public domain with respect to the contractual arrangements for the “Super Fast Galicia” point to a total lack of regard and respect by successive governments for Tobago – residents, business-people and visitors alike. The original contract for this vessel was made by the UNC in 2014 and was for a short-term period; yet that Government did not move to ensure that a medium or even a long-term arrangement was put in place before the expiry of that short-term contract. Instead expediency took over and the one year contract was rolled over.
Following this, the PNM government also had a year in which to arrive at a proper strategy to ensure the continuity of an appropriate cargo vessel. They too dropped the ball as if it was of no consequence. The end result is that there is now a mad scramble to make first, temporary arrangements; and then another short-term arrangement. This is unacceptable. On top of the “Super Fast Galicia” issue, there has been for some time only one Ferry boat in service – the TT Express having been out on “dry dock” for the past several weeks. The “air-bridge” has also been operating sub-optimally for the past several months as a number of the ATR aircraft used by Caribbean Airlines have been out of service for one reason or another. The end result has been a story of many woes and distress to persons travelling between Tobago and Trinidad.
Two issues, apart for the disregard and disrespect shown to Tobago, stand out for the MSJ. These are: - Clear management and accountability problems. To date, nobody – whether from the UNC time to the current PNM period of government – has put their hand(s) up and say to the people of Trinidad and particularly of Tobago -” I am responsible and I apologize”. The line of decision making gets shifted from the Management of the Port Authority to the Chairman and/or entire Board of that state agency to technocrats in the Ministry of Transport and from one Minister to another. When nobody appears to be responsible and nobody is accountable for decisions, we know that we are operating a failed system. For the MSJ, we hold the Minister responsible and accountable. It can be no other way. It is clear that the management and leadership of the Port Authority is and has been in crisis for some time. There have been too many changes at the top – managers and boards – and too many Ministers – 4 or 5 – in the past three years, and all this has allowed decision making to disappear. The PNM had enough time since September 2015 to ensure that there was no break in cargo service to Tobago. They must therefore take responsibility for the present imbroglio. - The continued and prolonged absence of public procurement legislation. We are aware that the Public Procurement Act was first passed in 2015 and assented to by the President in January 2015.
It was then subsequently amended twice by Parliament – firstly, in May/June 2016 and assented to in June 2016 and again in December2016/February 2017 and assented to in March 2017. This long delay in having the Procurement law put into effect is a contributor to the fiasco of the transportation link between Tobago and Trinidad. We cite the issue of the procurement of the ATR’s by Caribbean Airlines, which decision was made by the UNC appointed Board, contrary to recommendations by the previous Board and/or management for another aircraft to be acquired. The breakdown of several ATR’s is a contributory factor to the lack of a reliable air-bridge service over the past months. And the various contracts for vessels to service the sea-bridge – no fewer than 13 from the MV Tobago in 1976 to today’s TT Express and Spirt – have been plagued with questionable contracts, doubtful suitability and in a number of cases downright failure. We are now hearing today of “vested interests” as a factor in the “Super Fast Galicia” issue. Unless and until there is complete transparency and accountability through the full implementation of the Public Procurement Act, then corruption will continue to contribute to the collapse of the Tobago-Trinidad transportation link.
The MSJ therefore: - Repeats our call for the full implementation of the Public Procurement Act - Calls on the Prime Minister to account to the citizens on why his government could not make decisions in time to ensure that there would be no gap in the transportation of cargo between Tobago and Trinidad. - Insists that any new contracts for the supply of vessels on the sea-bridge – whether short, medium or long term – be done in a totally transparent manner so that the public can be satisfied that the best decisions are being made in the interests of all.
