The western peninsula of Trinidad has long been a preferred destination for seamen over the centuries, offering a natural safe harbour and gentle seas for countless vessels. Since 1991, when Power Boats was established as the first commercial marina in Chaguaramas, that natural advantage was leveraged into a growth industry for yacht berthing and repairs.
At its height, the T&T proposition for the yachtsman seeking fine work was compelling. The competing businesses in the industry delivered top-notch hull maintenance, a full range of paints–some of which were spiced with Moruga red scorpion pepper to discourage barnacle growth–and virtually every other aspect of repair was on par with professional expectations or exceeded it.
The country's location within the region and its proximity to South America, cheap fuel and its fortunate hurricane history were added lures for the yachting customer.Recently, allegations of institutional corruption have begun to add sour experiences for yachties and that's a matter that demands urgent attention by the authorities.
As this newspaper reported last week, one yachtsman pointed to the serious decline in boats docking for repairs, noting that in 2008 there were 3,000 yachts present for pleasure and service but between 2010 and 2012, that number declined to 1,000.The current problem seems to be an old-school scam to claim rises in rates for extensions of stay, with immigration officers accused of pocketing the difference.
Others claim there are troubling inconsistencies in their dealings with immigration on other matters.This is unacceptable. Yacht owners pay US$1,000 for a month's berthing and bring valuable business to a country keen to pay lip service to the idea of economic diversification.
Here is a business sector that's leveraging an advantage of geography that's grown on its own into a significant money-earner that looks set to collapse through greed and carelessness. And it isn't a new problem. In April 2012, Donald Stollmeyer, president of the Yacht Services Association of T&T, made it clear what the issues are.
Thefts and spotty policing of the area along with "long and tedious" immigration procedures have led yacht owners and captains to seek more accommodating options in the region for their relaxation and repairs.At least three government ministers were aware of the situation last week, including Minister of National Security Gary Griffith and Minister of Transport Stephen Cadiz, and Minister of Trade Vasant Bharath was said to have spoken with concerned yachties on the matter.
The Government must move clearly and decisively to ensure that ocean-faring visitors to T&T are fully informed of the rules and regulations that govern their stay so that they comply with local laws and have redress when they encounter situations that diverge from expectations.
The Immigration Division must also answer these accusations decisively, ensuring that their management of this port of entry upholds the relevant laws fairly and consistently. Other islands in the region have been quick to pick up the slack, most notably Grenada and Antigua.If T&T is again to raise the profile of its yacht services and improve income from that business sector, it must embrace the institutional work that must be done first and not hope to dry-dock business with talk.
There has been idle conversation about a yachting act to address the sector, but what's needed is industry-focused action that's clearly designed to manage existing issues and to rebuild the country's appeal to yachtsmen.