Transport
From The Report: Trinidad & Tobago 2017
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In recent years Trinidad and Tobago’s transport sector has faced significant competition and challenges, and with government coffers squeezed by the drop in global oil prices, major infrastructure updates and the proposed creation of a multi-modal public transit system have been put on hold. In the 2016/17 budget the Ministry of Works and Transport received TT$2.09bn ($312m) in funding, far behind national security at TT$7.6bn ($1.13bn) and education at TT$7.2bn ($1.07bn). However, if government efforts to diversify industry, attract tourists and alleviate road congestion are to be successful, improvements to the country’s maritime, aviation and public transport systems should gain renewed focus.

This chapter contains an interview with Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

From here to there: Economic slowdown refocuses sector on long-term strategies
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Trinidad and Tobago has a long history as a transport hub. On his first trip to the region in 1595, British explorer Walter Raleigh considered the Gulf of Paria, away from the hurricane belt to the north, to be a suitable port. He found the ideal source of asphalt for caulking his ships in Pitch Lake and could use the naturally sheltered island as his base for exploring South America and the Caribbean. In the twentieth century, the discovery of hydrocarbons and the industrialisation of the…

Analysis

Vehicles for change: Replacing petrol with compressed natural gas
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Following five years of planning and investment, 2016 saw significant progress towards the government’s goal of having 17,500 vehicles fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) on the roads by the end of 2018. Motors running on CNG are cheaper to run, produce less harmful emissions, and free up more of Trinidad and Tobago’s diesel and gasoline production for export. Public transportation and state-owned vehicles play a major role in driving demand for alternative fuel, with the government…

Interview

Solid foundation: Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport, on new technology and infrastructure priorities
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Interview: Rohan Sinanan Which key infrastructure projects are being prioritised over the next 18 to 24 months? ROHAN SINANAN: We are prioritising major highway construction, most notably the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway, which will open up the entire southwest peninsula and stimulate economic activity. It will also shave two hours off commuting time between the two destinations. We are also extending the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway to Manzanilla, which will run all the way to the town…