Tourism deflections

After Stuart Young’s hot-mic episode which I covered last week, I hoped members of the People’s National Movement (PNM) would stop being weird. At this point, however, it seems to be their defining characteristic. Randall Mitchell is the latest politician to enter the “weird” spotlight.

During the debate of the Appropriation Bill 2024, Mitchell highlighted that it is more affordable to live in T&T compared to other countries. I won’t be deflected, as he was, by the Opposition’s claim that the cost of living is out of control. The Opposition is doing what it feels is their job.



Mitchell needs to do the same. It is his responsibility, after all, as the MTCA (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts) minister, to prove what his ministry—not the Opposition—is doing. His inability to do this reveals his incompetence.

Suggesting that people travel regionally and internationally to see what the cost of living looks and feels like is nothing more than a red herring used by Mitchell to escape transparency and accountability for his portfolio, which shows no apparent sign of contributing to economic growth. As the Tourism Minister, Mitchell should focus on his job of at least trying to be competent, but he’s been trying without success since being appointed in 2018. Six years later and the tourism industry continues to regress.

From 2019 to 2024, T&T experienced negative tourism growth (-1.9%), according to the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024. We ranked 89 out of the 119 countries examined.

This poor ranking conflicts with what the nation was fed during the 2025 budget statement when Finance Minister Colm Imbert provided a litany of statistics about cruise visits and new airline routes, and outlined the Government’s various glamorous projects intended to boost tourism revenue. Imbert could provide nothing about expected revenue or the contributions to GDP growth. I hoped to find information on the MTCA website, but their so-called Data Centre is more of a “data ­cabinet”—the lack of available information is shocking.

The last annual report was for 2022 and the most recent statistics for air arrivals end in 2021. I submitted a form requesting more up-to-date information, but this request went by unacknowledged—likely because it does not exist. Before Mitchell comments again on how citizens should consider themselves fortunate to live in T&T, he should comment on why his ministry is not collecting the necessary statistics to allow a comprehensive audit of his performance.

It is, of course, easier to deflect from his inability by focusing on what the Opposition party has said rather than what he has done—more accurately, what he has not done. Even in his attempted misdirection, Mitchell went against a logical line of reasoning. Comparison with other countries should never be a metric by which to judge how fortunate citizens should consider themselves.

That absolves the politicians, like Mitchell, whose ineffective leadership and administration contribute to why citizens feel the cost of living is painfully high. Mitchell’s portfolio is to improve tourism spending in our economy, not to focus on challenging people to travel outside of T&T or to be blinded that his experience of economic hardship is not the same as “the man on the street”. I digress here to the US only to ­emphasise this point.

In the 2024 presi­dential race, Donald Trump has consistently led Kamala Harris on matters involving the economy despite him being fact-checked continuously because in August 2024, US inflation hit a three-year low of 2.5%. Why is Trump still leading Harris on the economy? Low inflation does not mean food prices have lowered.

On the contrary, a CBS News price tracker reveals that from 2019 to 2024, the cost of grocery items increased by as much as 176% (eggs), 75% (orange juice) and 52% (bread). Mitchell must educate himself on the fact that it is possible for a country to experience low inflation and still have high food prices. Instead of speaking on an issue he clearly lacks knowledge of, Mitchell must explain how the MTCA is working with the Ministry of National Security (MNS) to have the country’s Level 3 advisory downgraded.

Potential visitors are warned by the US Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago website to “Reconsider travel to T&T due to crime” and “exercise increased caution to T&T due to terrorism and kidnapping”. This Level 3 advisory has been in place since July 2024. Earlier this month, my former PhD supervisor during my time at the University of Massachusetts explained the online obstacle course she had to navigate for her travel leave to be approved in ­order to visit Trinidad.

US travellers are being made to acknowledge the various possible risks associated with their travel to T&T. Buried among Mitchell’s weird deflection was the point that when travellers return, “that is when you see how sweet, sweet T&T really is”. I can agree with Mitchell here.

This is what needs to be his focus, not commenting on economics which he clearly does not understand but fulfilling his duty as tourism minister to ensure every potential tourist knows how sweet T&T truly is. —Author Dr Jarrel De Matas is an assistant professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch..