A significant political dispute has emerged in Tobago regarding the impact of a US military radar installation on the island’s tourism industry. Minority Leader Kelvon Morris of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has declared that the radar system deployed at the ANR Robinson International Airport is substantially undermining Tobago’s tourism sector.
Speaking at the unveiling of the PNM’s political platform on December 21, Morris, who serves as the PNM candidate for Darrel Spring/Whim in the upcoming January 12 THA election, presented concerning statistics showing international tourist arrivals plummeting from 1,988 in January to approximately 828 by May. He highlighted that even a highly anticipated jazz festival in April attracted only 972 visitors, far below projections.
Morris attributed the tourism decline to multiple factors including airlift challenges, seasonal tourism patterns, and inadequate accommodations—issues he claims the ruling Tobago People’s Party (TPP) has failed to address over four years. The situation has been further exacerbated by the recent radar installation, which Morris states has already prompted three cruise ship cancellations and daily cancellations of flight and wedding bookings.
The controversy extends beyond tourism into jurisdictional disputes. THA Chief Secretary and TPP leader Farley Augustine maintains he was never consulted about the radar installation before its implementation in November. Augustine asserts he should hold membership on the National Security Council (NSC), currently chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Former national security minister Gary Griffith has clarified that NSC membership is restricted to select cabinet ministers, excluding even heads of protective services. The political dynamics are further complicated by the TPP’s two MPs sitting with UNC backbenchers in Parliament, though no formal coalition exists between the parties.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar first publicly acknowledged the radar’s existence on November 27, describing it as a Northrop Grumman G/ATOR system designed to enhance surveillance capabilities against narco traffickers and various security threats. At a recent public event, she condemned critics of the US military presence and warned that such criticism could jeopardize the US visas of approximately 350,000 Trinbagonians.
The situation presents a complex intersection of national security priorities, local economic concerns, and international diplomacy that continues to evolve as Tobago approaches critical elections.