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Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley told an audience in Tobago that they should not expect a fast ride on the Galleons Passage, the passenger ferry, which embarks on its first trial run next week.
The vessel is expected to take in excess of four hours to make the journey between Port-of-Spain and Scarborough.
The Prime Minister was fielding questions on Thursday during the fifth instalment of Conversations with the Prime Minister series at the Scarborough Library, Tobago.
Rowley said the Galleons Passage is a single hull boat that travelled at a top speed of 22 knots.
He was asked about the state of the ferry service by businesswoman Shirley Cooke, who operates at Crown Point. Cooke said business was bad for the past two years because of low tourist arrivals.
Rowley called upon Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to give an update.
Sinanan said the crew for the Galleons Passage arrived on Thursday and trial runs to Tobago are planned for next week. The vessel arrived in T&T in July after a four-month journey from China.
He said once things work as planned, in three weeks time the Galleons Passage, alongside the T&T Spirit should be servicing the islands.
Sinanan said an advertisement was posted in a daily newspaper inviting applications for another fast ferry. He said the plan was to use a third fast ferry to service the islands under a two-year lease arrangement.
Sinanan said Cabinet plans to purchase two new ferries that would replace the older boats before they go into a state of disrepair.
The Prime Minister said the Australian Government is assisting the Government to purchase two new ferries that should be in service by mid-2020.
Rowley appealed to Tobagonians to stop bad talking the island and discouraging Trinidadians, whom he said are now spending their vacation monies elsewhere.
“If I was in Trinidad, as I am, and I wanted somewhere to go, the last place I want to go is Tobago because you get on as if Tobago is a hell hole. We have five planes going back and forth and you can’t get a seat but no tourist in Tobago.”
He said people in St Lucia have told him that Trinidadians are coming to St Lucia because Tobagonians are discouraging them from visiting.
Speaking on the Sandals project, Rowley said the Government would be in the process of drawing up a contract to sign with the hotel chain.
Rowley made it clear that the government has not yet entered into a contract with Sandals. Rowley said the government had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sandals and arrangements with the hotel chain would be negotiated before any contract was signed.
Rowley said the public utilities, airport and infrastructure were being upgraded in preparation for a growth of tourism on the island. He also noted that the THA was spending $20 million to fix agricultural access roads in Tobago so agricultural produce could be developed for the tourism sector in Tobago.
Rowely said the Government has received two applications for a public/private sector venture to develop a marina at the Canoe Bay, Cove area that would also attract other upscale tourists to the sister isle.