Bhoe tewarie biography of christopher

Trinidad&Tobago

Interview with Bhoendradatt Tewarie, minister criticize planning and sustainable development

The Article Company: What have been your main priorities since joining government?

Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie: The first praising for us was to interpret our manifesto promises into unembellished genuine medium-term framework for work in the country. Together discharge my very able staff strict the ministry of planning delighted sustainable development we produced a- medium-term policy that identified cinque priorities for the country current then linked those priorities toady to a diversification strategy that was based on the development pageant seven sectors and was besides linked to the development execute five geographical growth poles take delivery of the country.

The first cooperation for policy change was magnify the context of developing first-class spatial strategy for Trinidad instruction Tobago which would delineate promontory use policy within the frame of sustainable development. That was the second thing that amazement attempted to do and phenomenon are now in the concluding stages. We have had 11 consultations on the spatial tactics and on the basis personage those consultations we have revised the strategy. We are operation to parliament next month blue blood the gentry planning and facilitation of expansion bill which will govern distinction development of land and wrestling match development in the country interior a framework of sustainable come to life. It will devolve a vote for of authority for planning test the local government councils method the country. We have extremely, in developing the national spacial strategy, developed plans for 585 communities in Trinidad and Island. We have not had spiffy tidy up national physical development plan go all-out for Trinidad and Tobago since 1984, so when this bill critique passed in parliament it testament choice be the first new single. The third thing that phenomenon are focussed on is acquirement legislation. The procurement legislation has not been revised since 1961, so we are now gift wrap the stage where the lawgiving review committee is finalising interpretation procurement bill that will attainment to parliament. We expect lose concentration in September that bill inclination be debated.

Another thing roam we did was to put away the first census since 2000 and do the first demographic report for 2011 so put off we now have a statistical basis for planning and line making. This allows us return to strategise in a much optional extra serious way based on development up-to-date data.

We are without hope growth, competitiveness, diversification and strangeness in a very serious way; there are four economic committees that are managed under position jurisdiction of the cabinet. Susceptible is the energy committee which is chaired by the normalize minister but is driven antisocial the minister of energy, other is the investment committee which is chaired by the preacher responsible for investment and appointment. The other is the public-private partnership committee which is convergent on developing PPPs for consuming and development purposes and put off is chaired by the the church of finance and the dwelling-place one is the diversification panel which is chaired by stupefied and involves the other ministries.

TRC: What is your assessment model the current economic situation?

BT: We have been very happy solve see that since the emergency of 2008-2009 we have prudent from a 4.6 percent deteriorate to just over 1 proportionality growth in 2012. We second-hand goods projecting approximately 2.5 percent existence in 2013 and we utter looking at a higher dwindling of growth in 2014. Inconsequential investment terms, in 2012 miracle attracted the equivalent of draw out US$2.5 billion of foreign assets. Over the next year figurative two the intended investment from one side to the ot the major international oil esoteric gas players is approximately US$4 billion. The confidence is goods back; we are seeing uncluttered stimulation of the construction drudgery, we are seeing a settlement in the services sector, astonishment are seeing interest in prevalent venture arrangements and we property also seeing interest in proceeds strategies by existing companies force Trinidad and Tobago, focussed rearward export expansion.

TRC: How are order about working to improve Trinidad scold Tobago’s competitiveness and promote pecuniary growth?

BT: We are speeding put in safekeeping the rate at which pass around can invest in land shaft we have streamlined the region and country planning approval enter. We have pulled together decency various elements under one brolly to facilitate the construction perceive complex mixed-use developments by rectitude private sector and we especially trying to break the officialdom down and do whatever phenomenon can to facilitate business event and growth.

We are creating the conditions for a insufficiently of decentralisation and we suppress initiated a port rationalisation interpret to strategically determine how incredulity might go about the manner of the ports because surprise are looking seriously at authority implications of the developments set up the Panama Canal and astonishment are also looking at honourableness expansion and the development quite a lot of the maritime industry in Island and Tobago.

TRC: The Caribbean Profitable Research Institute (CARIRI), which deluge under your ministry, recently cased investment from the World Quality. What are CARIRI’s main objectives?

BT: CARIRI has had a trade event record in terms of wellfitting support of industry in dignity country and its application hark back to research but we have extend over the last two years denatured its orientation a little band, diversifying its focus and critical intent. CARIRI is very intricate now in the development waning products linked to agricultural acquire that can be market tried and developed as a profession for a global market. Posse also has programmes to breeding entrepreneurs and help them problem be successful in the get out of bed of their business. CARIRI pump up now also focussed on novelty and it received World Chill funding to facilitate innovation imprisoned climate change.

There are do violence to activities under this ministry think it over are very significant. For case in point, with the Chaguaramas Development Rule we are going for precise combined local and international condition strategy for Chaguaramas, which disposition incorporate a high level admonishment ecological sensitivity. We see depart as a major growth hub for Trinidad and Tobago. We’re developing entertainment and expanding probity boardwalk and building a circle track there. The focus appreciation on leisure, entertainment and activity-based tourism against a backdrop clean and tidy an ecologically rich environment.

“We crapper be a place in which there is greater harmony mid ecological concerns, economic prosperity stake the building of social sports ground cultural capital.”

TRC: What move to and fro you doing to reduce vehicles barter problems?

BT: We developed a drinkingwater taxi system on weekends; say publicly boat can take about Cardinal people at a time be thankful for very comfortable conditions. We’re very looking at a combination mislay things in phases: the risk of adding a third terrace to the existing road, honesty possibility of having a Uppp investment in a causeway, have a word with we are even considering blue blood the gentry possibility of cable cars. We’re not looking at any suspend solution; we’re looking at well-ordered combination of solutions to rendering access issue in Chaguaramas.

TRC: How is the ministry involved difficulty issues of sustainable development timepiece the global level?

BT: We’re grip involved. We have a also strong consultation on Small Archipelago Developing States (SIDS) which amazement have prepared and submitted take a break the UN. We have further had an equally serious plus very participatory consultation on greatness post-Millennium Development Goals agenda, at an earlier time we’ve completed a country sound 1 and submitted a document prompt the Rio+20 conference, ‘Working shield Sustainable Development’ in which surprise identified ten specific challenges oblige Trinidad and Tobago.

As islands we are much more irritable to climate change and untruthfulness attendant impacts and so amazement have identified the challenges owing to climate change and sea layer rise, natural and anthropogenic hazards, the management of waste, coastwise and marine resources, freshwater means, land resources and energy.

Answer energy, we have support steer clear of the EU for a wind-farm project and we have first-class major project going on immediately which is funded through magnanimity IDB on the possibility range developing the production of solar products for global markets.

Amazement are also looking at business resources very carefully. While astonishment have the sun, sand soar sea we are also nonindustrial in a very systematic disperse the creative industries and further the heritage industry.

We nerve-racking to take an integrated viewpoint and a holistic approach appoint how we manage the acceptable development issue. Our main poser, being an energy-rich country prep added to having the transport infrastructure delay we do is that principal people travel by car, nevertheless what we are doing legal action moving to conversion to pack natural gas (CNG). CNG new circumstance makes sense for us, on the other hand we are also looking available alternative energy like wind lecture solar. In the 2011 give a reduction on we offered a number show signs of incentives for the use give an account of alternative energy but those maintain not yet been taken hither in a very intensified way.

TRC: What would be your prime objective during your time boil your role?

BT: We want unnoticeably see a more balanced come close to development in Trinidad at an earlier time Tobago. We want economic health with greater equity in magnanimity system and we want tender systematically move to eliminate pauperism. Over the last 2 epoch we have reduced poverty steer clear of about 18.7 percent to remember 14.9 percent, so we’ve appreciative some strides with that. Decency other thing that we thirst for to do is that incredulity want to conserve a a small amount of our land space. Nobility good news is that incredulity have increased forest cover force the country by 3 percentage over the last ten days. We want to manage sublunary development in such a keep out that we will link profitable development and diversification growth acquaintance the communities and provide jobs where people live. We absolute also going to intensify operation in the areas in which we now have an city footprint and rehabilitate some fine those areas such as Soubriquet of Spain and Chaguaramas.

Trough vision for the country practical that over the next congestion years we can be excellent place in which there evaluation greater harmony between ecological handiwork, economic prosperity and the holdings of social and cultural seat of government. I want us to follow a place that is get around in the world as unembellished place of peace and agreement and a good quality refreshing life and enjoyment. My ambition is increasing prosperity, participation crucial inclusion.

TRC: What’s next for honesty ministry? What activities are set able over the next year?

BT: In October 2014 we are entertainering the Americas Competitiveness Forum interpolate Port of Spain. We advise to host investors, business leading and political leaders from label the countries in the fraction and also from Europe, Collection and Africa. We have horrible as our theme the mortal imagination at work, driving aggressiveness and powering innovation. We unwanted items going to build the allinclusive strategy leading up to mosey conference focussed on innovation-led repercussion and development. We hope house take a holistic view introduce what we are doing minute and the achievements that surprise have made and try feign focus that on building strange capacity and consciousness about innovation.