Trinidad: Tourism Officials Going Places, Tourism Going To Its Grave… An Appeal To PM Kamla

David Maundy

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The deflection of legitimate questions to our government and tourism officials on the secrecy surrounding a planned trip to India shows nothing but contempt for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Ernest Littles with his massive salary has done nothing to benefit Trinidad tourism, while he and his friend Tracey Savary are benefiting extremely well! Do they not feel ashamed to hold the positions they do? Especially Littles who has been TDC’s president for over three years and is yet to deliver any tangible results. Or, is the money so good that they don’t give a damn about our concerns and whether or not they deliver results for our tourism.

The TDC came up with the slogan, “Tourism Going Places,” from the looks of it, the only tourism going places are our tourism officials. This Indian extravaganza is not the first of it’s kind, Ernest Littles and TDC officials are serious frequent fliers, but where are the results? What appears to be a TDC’s spin doctor attempted to justify this Indian trip, in theory he or she was right that travel is necessary to promote tourism, but where are the results from all the previous trips, too many to mention here. The bloggers are very right to coin this Indian trip a joyride, because that is exactly what it is.

You see, my dear fellow citizens, all the travelling by our tourism officials over all the years and we have nothing to show for it except a collapsed tourism industry, while other crime ridden destinations like Jamaica are experiencing extremely impressive growth, what is Ernest Littles doing or should I say, not doing for our tourism? He seems to be the real beneficiary and not Trinidad and Tobago.

The same TDC spin doctor who attempted to defend this Indian trip and the TDC’s frequent travelling also attempted to dispel some very serious allegations of corruption, while he or she stayed clear of addressing other very serious allegations involving Ernest Littles, let me repeat them again, what is Ernest Littles relationship with MCI, a New York based marketing firm supposedly marketing Trinidad, New York is Littles hometown also, are they long time friends supporting each other at all costs? What is his relationship with MCI that had Brian Awang, the former Chairman of the TDC so concerned, especially when payments were made to MCI without a paper trail and without following proper procurement procedures, sounds like Calder Hart trained Ernest Littles well. What is MCI doing for Trinidad and Tobago? Look at our tourism catasthophe and tell me what is the use of MCI? Again, what is Ernest Littles relationship with them?

Further, did Ernest Littles divert the already limited marketing funds to provide his friend Tracey Savary with a new car? I have taken a lot of condemnation for raising these issues, but as a citizen of this country, it is my democratic right to ask these questions and confront what appears to me to be corruption, let the officials answer. Ernest Littles and Rupert Griffith and company work for us, the people, and they are accountable to us, so let no one be angry when we ask the hard questions here. Remember, this is how Calder Hart was exposed.

If Littles is innocent and there is no wrongdoing, why deflect, duck and run? It is very simple, just address the issues directly. Why Aleem Mohammed and Minister Griffith don’t have the courtesy and respect to say something to the people directly? Why the secrecy? Why hide?. One blogger commented that their silence is deafening, I disagree, their silence is speaking loudly, and it is shouting corruption, corruption, corruption!

Will this new government take our concerns here seriously and stop that Indian joyride and address our concerns, unless our tourism officials can show us results from all their many other joyrides they have been taking all over the world, while disguising it as marketing? Is this the change we voted for?

We will not forget. I appeal to you Madam PM, for too long the Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago has been getting away with their corruption, while the country is distracted by crime, inflation, Calder Hart and Juliana Pena etc. I appeal to you Madam PM, I voted for you, I don’t expect miracles, but I do expect better than this, I firmly believe there is enough that warrants an investigation. Please stop the TDC and the Indian joyride. Please stop Ernest Littles and his abuse of our resourses.

A very concerned citizen,
David Maundy