Story Created:
Feb 2, 2012 at 10:47 PM ECT
Story Updated:
Feb 2, 2012 at 10:47 PM ECT
Independent Tobago Senator Dr Victor Wheeler has weighed in, on the raging debate about the presence of Minority Leaders Ashworth Jack at a meeting called by Transport Minister Devant Maharaj on the issue of the upgrade of the Arthur NR Robinson International Airport to open on a 24-hour basis.
The meeting was boycotted by Secretary of Transportation Oswald Williams, who was invited to be part of the discussions with airline and airport authority officials.
Williams objected to Jack's presence charging that it was "insulting" to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) as the Minority Leader was not a member of the executive arm of the administration in the island. In his contribution to the debate in the Senate on the Finance Supplementation and Variation of Appropriation Bill 2012 for the Financial year 2011 last week Monday, Wheeler expressed his gratitude for the 24 hours plan.
The plan would allow additional flights leaving as late as 1 a.m. from Trinidad.
"I am actually pleased with this because it will mean that I will be able to get home on a Tuesday rather than having to stay here overnight. I am quite thankful for that," declared Wheeler.
He went on to chide People's National Movement (PNM) Tobago Senator Shamfa Cudjoe, who in her contribution had argued that the THA had been disrespected by the Transport Minister.
"I am not certain that those being invited can actually dictate who is to be present at that meeting," noted Wheeler.
"There have been episodes of disrespect to the THA by the Ministry in the past, but the THA has to be careful how far it takes this because i was a little bit concerned that the minister would be addressing a matter as important as this and the Executive Council would choose to exclude itself from these discussions. I hope that this will not be to the detriment to the airport in Tobago," he said.
Referring to the Ministry of Finance ability to via money from one Ministry to another to address needs in various departments, Wheeler pointed out that this process involved coming to the house to report.
"I am not aware that this takes place in the THA," he observed.
"I have said in my budget contribution that I was a little bit concerned that the THA had requested Three point something billion dollars and only got two point something billion and over the years they have still been able to accrue unspent balances. Today we heard that the Ministry of Finance has not allocated any money for CEPEP for the THA.
"Yet if there is a complaint about the Ministry of Finance not financing or providing funds for a budgeted item, I have seen where budgeted items under the THA for example the TRHA for 2011 was allocated $202 million dollars by the Ministry of Finance but the THA only provided $157 million in funding for TRHA," disclosed Wheeler.
"This is at a time when the TRHA was owing its creditors millions of dollars that has resulted in some of the services to the hospital being reduced," he added.
"I am labouring this point today because in 2012 we expect the hospital to be delivered in Tobago. This is a hospital that the Tobago public has been waiting for over 30 to 40 years. We expect the hospital to be complete and fully equipped and fully staffed. I am aware that for you to have a fully functional hospital the agency responsible for the functioning of the hospital would be the TRHA.
"I hope that in this financial year 2012, the THA will provide the TRHA with all of its allocated funding of $280 million," said Wheeler.
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .
rony said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 6:58 PM
CALL ME
81588132Tobagonian4life said on Friday, Feb 10 at 4:00 AM
Everbody will go to an airport in the night i do it to miamai and new york steups. anyway it not whether to open the airport 24hour the true concern or suggestion is to get airlift to fill out that 24hrs block simply miami new york 1:00am tobaggo then germany all cal. start making suggestion and stop PNM and TOP complaining.
81156086D Mouse said on Friday, Feb 10 at 3:14 AM
Express thursday 09 edition "GAS Production Down" if alyuh think i was joking...T&T is heading for a hard Landing because of this government continuing to Borrow Money at Record Pace ! I am sorry for all those that will loose their jobs... Hard Times are coming for T&T !! They would have no choice but to relax all government subsidies !!
81155454D Mouse said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 2:06 PM
So Mark Zucerkurg cashed out 5 Billion USD worth of stock and will be the first Billioniar to pay the full stated Tax rate of 35% about $2Billion will go to the US Treasury even though he could use legal loop holes and pay only a fraction of the 2 Billion... WoW What a guy!! and this is a Socialist Move !!
81117419Desuperman said on Thursday, Feb 9 at 12:31 AM
You're ALWAYS misinformed and mistaken, but you feel you know more than everybody and ah keep telling you dat. You're too impressed with yourself.
81091889the virginian said on Wednesday, Feb 8 at 1:58 PM
Raz boyz,perhaps your idea might be productive but only to the extent that most local air travel between Trinidad and Tobago were personal or for pleasure than business-related and travel extra Trinidad directly to Tobago occurred or would occur mostly on weekends,which I doubt. Like you,and since I'm a free-marketer,I don't like much government intervention in private enterprise beyond basic regulations,it just tends to hamstring smooth and efficient operations,but then again,local air travel facilities as well as mass transportation in T&T seems to be all government-owned or controlled with possibly a handful of exceptions.The deliberately slow and heavy hand of government seems to be inescapable.Just my distant observation so don't hold it against if I were to be blatantly misinformed or mistaken.
81059049D Mouse said on Wednesday, Feb 8 at 1:28 PM
I think they will do the 24H thing during peak seasons Like, Before and After Carnival Time(10 Days) Great Race Weekend (6 Days), ETC ETC ETC...Which would make some sense. But Don't hold out hope that it would be 24/7 365 NEVER HAPPEN !!!****************************************** @Virginian: Many years ago they tried to find a way to charge Tourist More money on the AirBridge but it did not work too well because they could not differentiat between who is tourist and who is residents and how is Freshwater Yankee residents HAHAHA so they scraped it ! We all pay the same price about $25 USD one-way.
81057097Ras boyz said on Wednesday, Feb 8 at 7:39 AM
Why not just open the Airport 24 hours on weekends and regular hours during the week. It is too much government in routine activity.I addition te dual Government would just cause confusion.
81040842the virginian said on Monday, Feb 6 at 9:25 PM
D Mouse,you've just raised an interesting issue.I was unaware that Tobagonians received government subsidized air travel.I don't recollect my cost,from Piarco to Tobago,last November when I visited since I found it extraordinarily competitive then,but do non- T&T residents get hit with the real market price or is it counterproductive to do so?Any ideas? While you think about that,I have a suggestion:here we go,all legitimate residents of Tobago who,because of no fault of theirs,are forced to go to Trinidad to conduct business carried-on only by the central government,there,should travel at the central government's expense to the Trinidad drop-off point--be it Piarco or the downtown Port-of-Spain docks,as the case may be--to help level the playing field.Tobagonians,in my view,are unduly disadvantaged as compared to Trinidadians when conducting government business simply because of where they live.Is this a fair assessment?I'd like to hear back from you folks,regardless.
80974279D Mouse said on Monday, Feb 6 at 6:31 PM
Thanks to Tax payers money, We have been very spoiled !!
80967631D Mouse said on Monday, Feb 6 at 4:51 PM
Relax at Piarco, what a laugh ! When they were building that airport I don't think they had creature comfort in mind. People pay $150 TT for a Ticket that is really wort $500 TT they better eat little and live long !!
80963049the virginian said on Monday, Feb 6 at 3:00 PM
Citylimer,though all your concerns are meritorious,there are times services such as transportation during off-peak,while less cost-effective,might be essential.In the case of T&T,air transportation cost could be proportionately increased during peak to help defray off-peak operational cost.The mathematics should incentivize more folks to travel off-peak thereby easing traffic congestion,reducing energy--gas--consumption as well as air pollution.A Tobagonian conducting business in Trinidad,say,from 8am a few days per week might be able to realize a sizeable saving over time traveling at off-peak in the morning,say,4am,or so.One could relax at Piarco for a few hours,plug-in the laptop or Ipad or what have you and constructively work before meeting with a client,business partner or whatever.Also, regular office work could be done while relaxing at Piarco.On the way home,he/she doesn't have to hustle at breakneck speeds. Is this too farfectched for Tobago?Don't think so.
80958221RJ said on Monday, Feb 6 at 2:57 PM
THE 24 hour service is important, and alliviates the distress people has to suffer when they have to overnight in Trinidad.
80958089citylimer said on Monday, Feb 6 at 11:11 AM
Why not do a pilot project at peak times to ascertain the possible sustainability during slow times. Gather imperical evdence first and then increase capacity incrementally.There is a cost attached to 24/7 - 365 days a year. Not because a few people may have late business in Trinidad eg. late sitting of Parliament etc. means that 24/7 - 365 is justified. Who is going to pay for the extra cost the stragellers who may occasionally need to catch a 10 - 11pm flight.Come on think this thing through.Bring hard demand by way of a pilot project and assess the viability of the project first.
80947244D Mouse said on Sunday, Feb 5 at 12:41 PM
THA wants to sell electricity to Barbados, Grenada to start. This is a great investment since we have NAT GAS to burn...But the Project has been hampered by Politics.
80916539D Mouse said on Sunday, Feb 5 at 12:37 PM
The current Oil and Gas output of T&T is not enough to sustain the a growth of even 2%. In the last 2 Year we had negative growth (-1%) in GDP. Our Last Oil discovery was more the 4 years ago...Remember the Deep Well (billed: Deepest Well Ever drilled in T&T...i forget the nick name ) after spending Tens of Millions to the Drilling company that well yelled ZERO output. Our Government is Hiding the fact that our output is decreasing so as not to scare the public and investors. Wake up, We need other industries and tourism is only a small part.
80916469D Mouse said on Sunday, Feb 5 at 12:28 PM
How much tens of Millions are spent to subsidies the air bridge, Which is not profitable and has never been profitable since inception. The Government is had pressed for Money these days. the Central Back is calling for a stoppage of Energy Subsidies ie Fuel. Last year Gov Subsidies to CAL surpassed US35 Million. What shall we do to save money ?
80916104pnm stupid man said on Sunday, Feb 5 at 1:17 AM
you foolish people will oppose everything until you have need for it and cannot get it...ye fools and blind..........
80903984D Mouse said on Saturday, Feb 4 at 10:58 PM
After 9:30PM-6AM they would be 90% empty on Mondays-Thursday. Friday after 10:00PM they would be 90% empty Is this worth wasting Tax payers Money To carry 10 people? Why don't they get some Q400's capacity instead of the current Q200 capacity. Remember the Spanish company they hired last year to help with the Traffic Load between Trinidad and Tobago their planes held about 12 More passenger and they always had empty seats... Or they need about Two More Planes... That Spanish Carrier really eased the air-bridge!
80900727james walker said on Saturday, Feb 4 at 5:55 PM
what do we have on this island a bunch of children who cares who attends a meeting we need mor flyts to our island my daughters came from canada and had to stay each end of there trip in trinidad instead of be able to catch flyts and conections. so politicians smarten up and stop being petty
80893051Desuperman said on Friday, Feb 3 at 7:08 PM
For those of you who keep braying week in, week out like J-Ar@3&s, this meeting was NOT initiated by Devil Maharaj but by THE SECRETARY of TOURISM and TRANSPORT Ozzie Williams. This meeting was attempted a while ago without any POSITIVE response from the Minister. That's when Ish Galberansingh intervened on the THA's behalf. And STILL, Ashworth Jack was TOTALLY out of place in that meeting. And Wheeler should learn to talk more and interact with he blasted clients instead of talking s#@$t. Unfortunately, we now know that he felt that the THA had been disrespected in the past but he SAID NOTHING!
80856676the virginian said on Friday, Feb 3 at 2:34 PM
24 Hour Air Service,remember that not because you might choose to sleep or not go to the airport"in the middle of the night on a weekday" for one reason or another doesn't necessarily mean that someone else mightn't want to.What you're trying to say,I conjecture,is that,essentially,other folks should conform to your selfish and personally convenient schedule.Can't conceive of 24/7 non-medical or hospital related services in Tobago eh?Why not,if it were profitable? C'mon Tobago,shoot for the stars,you might get the moon.Not bad.Not bad at all.
80841959bagodude said on Friday, Feb 3 at 9:49 AM
@ superman & anon...the buzz word in tobago now is RESPECT!
80825376Anonymous said on Friday, Feb 3 at 9:35 AM
yea Wheeler is a dumb dumb lol
80824786Bacolet said on Friday, Feb 3 at 7:16 AM
I agree with Wheeler: those who are invited to a meeting cannot dictate who else attends. At the end of the day, the THA will call 'disrepect' because they were not consulted! Also, over the years we have read about the nonpayment by the THA to various groups so where are the accrued unspent balances? Whose account are these $$s in?
80820574Desuperman said on Friday, Feb 3 at 12:46 AM
Wheeler does behave like a real dumb-dumb, he will welcome anything, whether they make sense or not.
8081442624 Hour Air Service said on Thursday, Feb 2 at 11:36 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA Who going airport in the Middle of the Night on a Weekday?
80812034Add a comment
Most Popular