For half a century T&T has, in every practical sense, turned its back on tourism. The country's first Prime Minister was openly opposed to the sector, feeling that it would only create a nation of bus boys, and all those who succeeded him have continued to treat the sector as a political pariah.
Of course we do have a Ministry of Tourism, usually allocated to one of the more junior members of the cabinet. The ministry also has a seriously underfunded Tourism Development Company (TDC) as its implementing arm. But it's appointed directors, almost without exception, have been woefully bereft of any tourism knowledge, or experience.
For as long as anyone can remember, tourism's stakeholders have been begging for government at the highest level to reverse this policy of passive neglect, and take whatever actions are necessary to make our tourism industry internationally competitive, and so diversify the country's energy based economy.
It is therefore with a sense of shock, and real excitement, that we now learn of Dr Rowley's enthusiastic embrace of Butch Stewart's plans for a Sandals/Beaches resort, possibly on Tobago's Golden Grove Estate.
There could be no more dramatic way of displaying his government's new found acceptance of tourism.
In doing so, Dr Rowley is not only demonstrating an exciting breadth of vision, but also considerable political cojones. Going against the tide of history will always have its challenges, and reprogramming the "we like it so" reluctance for change, is bound to call for the expenditure of some political capital.
Tourism is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world, contributing almost 10 per cent to global GDP.
With every country in the world aggressively fighting for its share of the tourism dollar, it is also the most competitive.
It is therefore critical that any aspiring tourism destination give the travelling public what it wants, rather than dish up what they think it ought to have. Otherwise they will just go someplace else.
The all-inclusive experience that Sandals and Super Clubs pioneered in Jamaica, and which so many others are now emulating, is certainly flavour of the month for the 21st century vacationer.
Those of us who have invested a lifetime in this wonderfully rewarding industry have long been aware that both our islands have a huge latent tourism potential, all that has been lacking is the political benediction necessary to give it credibility.
Of course the Sandals project is still only at the talking stage, and there is much negotiation still to be done. But a successful conclusion would bring enormous benefit.
Seven hundred and fifty new rooms running at 80 per cent occupancy, which would probably be Butch's objective, with two guests per room (Sandals targets the couples market, while Beaches, is a family resort), would yield 1,200 guests in house at any one time, or 438,000 "guest nights" in the course of a year.
Given an average six-day length of stay that would mean some 73,000 new visitors to Tobago, more than tripling the island's present number of annual stop over arrivals.
That volume would completely change the airlift paradigm, and would make service out of new source markets, particularly in North America, immediately viable. It would also result in upgraded lift out of the UK and Europe.
The ANR Robinson International Airport at Crown Point, in its present form, would be quite unable to accommodate such an increase in traffic, which would force the physical improvements so long promised, and so long delayed.
The construction of a 750-room five-star resort complex would probably provide close to 2,000 jobs. When the resort is in full operation, it would probably deploy something in the order of 1.5 employees per room, or more than 1,000 permanent well-paid jobs directly, and twice that number indirectly.
Four hundred and thirty eight thousand guests to feed annually would open up an exciting new market for Tobago's fishermen and farmers–Sandals created the hugely successful farm-to-table programme in Jamaica that could well be a template for T&T.
Sandals would expect to obtain from the local market a correspondingly large supply of such consumables as fruits, vegetables, eggs and poultry, juices, soft drinks, rum and paper products, not to mention all manner of service support.
The entrepreneurial opportunities that would open up for Trinbagonians, in such areas as water sports, shops and other retail outlets, bars, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife are endless.
Sandals with its huge brand recognition would, once and for all, put Tobago on the international travel map, and catalyse further development, not just in tourism, with all the benefits that could bring.
It will be Trinidad's challenge to find a way to take full advantage of this new commercial opportunity, not just in supplying this tourism windfall, but also in using it to stimulate growth in its own tourism sector.
Prime Minister, if you can pull this one off, you will not only have transformed Tobago's tourism reputation, but you will have opened up a whole new range of commercial opportunities just when the economy needs it most.
Congratulations!
John Bell