The Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and. Ms Ayleen Alleyne-Ovid, DPS, Ministry of Planning and Development

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1 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Wednesday December 2, 2015 Permanent Secretary Jacinta Bailey-Sobers Welcome remarks for new CDA Board The Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development Ms Ayleen Alleyne-Ovid, DPS, Ministry of Planning and Development Advisor to the Minister of Plan and Dev, Ms Walda Dottin-Matthew Mr. Anthony Pierre, Chairman designate of the Board of the Chaguaramas Development Authority Soon to be appointed members of the CDA Board Mrs. Joycelin Hargreaves, CEO of the Chaguaramas Development Authority Heads of Divisions of the Ministry Director and other Members of staff of our Communications Department Specially invited guests Representatives of the media Ladies and Gentlemen Page 1 of 5

2 Good Morning It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the head office of the Ministry for this occasion. As the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development I want to assure you that national development is indeed the focus of everything we do. With the mandate to produce the blueprint for transforming Trinidad and Tobago to developed nation status by 2030, the Ministry is ever cognizant of the importance of its role in the sphere of government. In this regard, the Ministry is also mindful of the key role that all the Agencies under its remit must play in the achievement of the national development goals and objectives, the Chaguaramas Development Authority being one such Agency. With its focus specifically on the peninsula to the West of Trinidad, the success of the Authority s work has a major impact on the national development of Trinidad and Tobago. The Chaguaramas peninsula is a wonderful phenomenon, a precious gem to the west that has enthralled all, from the earliest Amerindian inhabitants of this island, the American and British forces during World War II, the architects of the Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing CARICOM in 1973 to being not only a physical and geographic destination to many but a key part of the psyche of our people. Page 2 of 5

3 This acre region, which consists of the Chaguaramas peninsula and five offshore islands, provides a rich historic, geographic, scenic, economic and cultural landscape rolled into one area and located right here in Trinidad and Tobago. This is prime real estate with boundless potential to be an even greater magnet for local and foreign tourism, business development opportunities, the global marine industry, knowledge based industries and a zone for a multitude of social and cultural events. Just about two or three years ago when I served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry with responsibility for heritage matters, I discovered the rich history of three features of the peninsula, the Military Museum and the tombs on that site, the ruins of the old Mt. Pleasant Village, St. Chad s Anglican Church and Amelia Tripp s tombstone and Nelson Island. All of these treasures of our past, holding tremendous potential for the development of a prosperous and thriving heritage tourism industry. Some of you may not be aware that there is also an area of niche tourism coined cemetery tourism that has been emerging. A study commissioned by the US Department of Commerce in 2009 revealed that back then cultural and heritage tourism was yielding $192 Billion dollars annually to the US Economy. A 2013 Oxford Study on the Economic Impact of the heritage tourism industry on the UK economy noted that the industry contributed 5 billion pounds in GDP and jobs. Need I say more with regard to the potential worth Page 3 of 5

4 of these historical treasures and the many more that I am sure that exist on the peninsula unknown or little known to the populace and the world? The Ministry of Planning and Development, with its mandate for national development is committed to realizing the potential of this valuable piece of real estate in partnership with the Chaguaramas Development Authority and other stakeholders. Through the appointment of this new board, the CDA receives the full support of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, and as a statutory body within the family of the Ministry of Planning and Development we are resolute in the conviction that Chaguaramas will serve as a major catalyst in Government s economic thrust, potentially playing a lead role in the diversification drive. We believe the CDA can lead the way in this particular area of economic development. I trust that I would have sufficiently enthused you as new members of the Board and that you are now much more ready and excited to begin the journey of leadership and direction that will bring the desired results. On this note, I thank you for agreeing to serve as members of the CDA s board and also take the opportunity to thank you in advance for the diligence and industry that I know you will all demonstrate to ensure that the overall plans for the Chaguaramas peninsula materialises and this area becomes a not only a haven of joy, recreation Page 4 of 5

5 and pride for Trinidad and Tobago, but an example to the rest of the world of what vision, hard work, creativity, execution of ideas and love of country can achieve. Best wishes for a successful and productive tenure. Page 5 of 5