Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 07/Nov 09:52

Is Studley Park up to the task?

THE EDITOR: I, like all right-thinking Tobagonians, welcome the granting of an export licence to the Studley Park Quarry since it can be construed as a tangible a sign of the Island’s growing economic independence. However, as a hard-nosed pragmatist, I must question whether Studley Park is equipped to turn this new opportunity into actual foreign exchange earnings. When last I checked (and I apologise if things have changed), the quarry had been hampered by outdated equipment and relatively low productivity. If this is still the case, without urgent modernisation and increased output, the quarry will struggle to meet export demands on a consistent basis. The end result could be Tobago holding a licence that looks impressive on paper, but which yields little financial return. Competition also poses a challenge. The regional market for construction materials is already well supplied, and Studley Park must compete against well-established players not only on product quality but also on price, shipping reliability, and marketing reach – areas where it has little proven experience. Consequently, while this much-appreciated licence opens a door to the forex promised land, whether the island walks to it will depend on the performance of those in charge. I hope the THA is up to the task. If it is not, the license may be seen as something which merely broughtof Tobago in particular and the nation of Trinidad and Tobago in general. CLAUDE A. JOB Tobago The post Is Studley Park up to the task? appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.