This silence is not golden
It is ironical that the issue of public access to Pigeon Point should come to a head on the 30th anniversary of the Black Power revolution of 1970, as senior counsel Desmond Allum noted last Monday. Back then, thousands of mainly Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians participated in protest marches to highlight their exclusion from a number of critical areas in independent Trinidad and Tobago. While most of the demonstrations took place in Trinidad, mainly along the East-West corridor, there were protest marches in Tobago, too. One of those targeted the newly opened Mt Irvine hotel and gulf course, from which the local population was excluded. Tobago attorney Baylis Frederick led that march, which ended with hundreds of Tobagonians sitting on the golf course, in defiance of the racist rules that governed the resort.
Pigeon Point was also a target, to the extent that the gate to the beach was physically torn down by protesters, among whom was the man who is now Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Hochoy Charles. In fact, Pigeon Point has frequently been a source of controversy. A few years ago, when Robert Amar bought the property and attempted to impose certain restrictions, he encountered stiff opposition from Tobagonians and their political leaders. Today, the picturesque beach is once more at the center of a major confrontation between the locals and owners of the property, Club Pigeon Point, a division of the powerful McAl Group of companies. Already, one man has been shot dead following an altercation with the Club's security personnel.
It is distressing that no one in authority-the THA, the central Government and Tidco-has uttered one word about the issue. The independent understands that THA officials have alerted Tourism Minister Adesh Nanan to the explosive situation that exists there, and called on the Government to intervene, presumably by compulsory acquisition of the main entrance road to the beach. There is also on our statute books a law that designates the area beyond the high tide mark that is deemed public property. Mr Nanan, we are further told, indicated that the issue was a matter for National Security Minister, Brigadier Joseph Theodore, to address. In the meantime, as the confrontation worsens, the beach was closed to the public over the Easter weekend, probably for the first time in its history.
Clearly, this is no longer a matter between some fishermen and sea bathers on the one side, and Club Pigeon Point on the other. It has degenerated into a national issue that begs for the intervention of the central Government. It may well be that Prime Minister Basdeo Panday needs to personally intervene, since he is known to have good relations with McAl's chairman, Mr Anthony Sabga. Whatever it takes to diffuse this potentially explosive situation, moreso because of the racial conflict it could spark, must be done, and quickly too. We appeal to those who have the powers and means to have the matter resolved in the best interests of the citizens of the country and the owners of the property, to act now. We cannot afford a race war in this country. Tobago's vital tourism industry could well turn out to be the big loser in any such battle. And nobody, least of all the THA and Mr Sabga, would want such a fallout that could spell doom for all Tobagonians.
Archives | Trinicenter Home
