The survival of Trinidad and Tobago is going to have to be global, and not local.
This, according to former President of the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Services Industries, Rabindra ‘Danny’ Jaggernauth, speaking during a panel discussion at the National Scout Headquarters in St Ann’s on Monday.
“Be bold, be brave, be Jamaican, I’ll say it, because Jamaicans don’t care what they do and so on. They actually think globally from the outset. They want to actually promote whatever it is they do from the start.”
Mr. Jaggernauth, who was the second President at the TTCSI, said there’s a mindset that needs to be changed when packaging the T&T product, noting that Trinbagonians need to treat the audience as if it’s a global one.
“Trinidad is easy to satisfy you know. We will go and sit down for four, five, six hours listening to Pan and so on and find that’s great. Foreigners coming down want a compressed, tight show, two hours and they’ll be happy about that. But we will stretch out because that is what we’re accustomed to locally. We’re not satisfying what the global situation requires.”
Several panellists alluded to the critical role the Services industry plays in the local tourism sector, but all said there’s a lot that needs to be done.
Another former TTCSI President, Lara Quentrall-Thomas, said the T&T tourism package needs to be carved out carefully for tourists.
“On the flip side, when we have cricket, the lights go out for an hour so are we offering world class sports products that people want to pay to watch? Pay Per View. These are some of the international standards. Even Carnival, I mean I love Carnival, not as much as some people, but to sit down and watch a day of mas Carnival Tuesday, and the narration is pretty grim.”
Mr. Jaggernauth challenged T&T to ensure avenues exist for foreigners.
“If you go to Vienna, nine times out of 10, you actually want to go to an opera or an Opera House in Vienna, that is their thing. In Trinidad, we have the equivalent, we have steelband, we have calypso and so on but if visitors come to Trinidad and so on, it’s not as easy for them to access.”
He noted that those in the Services Industry need to think outside the box.
“I dare say to everybody in the services sector, travel, but when you travel look at what is happening around you, and when you come back try to Trinidad, see how you could replicate it.”