Transport
From The Report: Trinidad & Tobago 2016
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As the largest exporter in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s transport network is vital to the performance of its economy. The country is already a fast-growing air passenger and cargo hub in the southern Caribbean and is now looking to spur growth in the maritime sector, where it intends to take advantage of its sheltered location below the hurricane belt and its proximity to shipping lanes serving North, Central and South America. The transport sector has not, however, been immune to the ramifications of the country’s current economic downturn. According to the Central Bank of T&T, the country’s GDP contracted by 2.1% in 2015 on the back of lower oil and gas prices. With public revenues significantly reduced as a result, the government was forced to abandon plans for a multi-billion-dollar mass transit project and to announce the phasing out of the long-standing subsidization of super gasoline and diesel.

This chapter contains an interview with Ashley Taylor, President, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO).

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Leveraging location: Upgrades and expansion set for air and seaports countrywide
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As the largest exporter in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s transport network is vital to the performance of its economy. The country is already a fast-growing air passenger and cargo hub in the southern Caribbean and is now looking to spur growth in the maritime sector, where it intends to take advantage of its sheltered location below the hurricane belt and its proximity to shipping lanes serving North, Central and South America. The transport sector has not, however, been immune to the ramifications…

Interview

Attractive offerings: OBG talks to Ashley Taylor, President, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO)
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Interview:Ashley Taylor What is the strategy for attracting new trans-shipment business to Trinidad and Tobago? ASHLEY TAYLOR: I believe that T&T’s ports, by virtue of their skilled workforce, can compete with any other port globally. The area of key emphasis is now on infrastructure and equipment. Attracting trans-shipment business to generate exponential growth cannot be done without the necessary infrastructure to facilitate it. Currently, the Port of Point Lisas can accommodate…

Analysis

Shifting gears: After shelving plans for a mass transit system, the government plans to improve public bus and taxi services
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The significant decline in public revenues following the global downturn in the energy sector has led Trinidad and Tobago to abandon plans for a multi-billion-dollar mass transit project. The decision was part of a set of measures announced during a mid-year budget review in April 2016, and the government is now focusing instead on increasing public transport vehicles on the road at subsidised prices. Other measures introduced by the newly elected government include the elimination of fuel subsidies…

Analysis

Sea change: A favourable geographic location is spurring the government’s maritime ambitions
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As efforts to diversify T&T’s energy-reliant economy intensify, the government is looking to accelerate growth in maritime industries. To this end, T&T is looking to develop its infrastructure and capitalise on its strategic advantages, including its sheltered location in the southern Caribbean. However, it will be doing so in an increasingly competitive environment, with several regional ports seeking global port status and the shipping industry weathering one of the worst downturns in…