IN AN apparent attempt to drum up public support for the two international conferences later this year, Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday hammered the point that the Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government conferences would bring immeasurable economic benefits as well as international political exposure for Trinidad and Tobago.
"It is a known fact that every host country of these international conferences has reported increased foreign direct investment in the aftermath of the meetings. We have an extraordinary chance to open doors further to trade and industry," the Prime Minister said in a statement to the House of Representatives.
It was Government's first robust attempt to blunt criticisms of the $603 million expenditure for both summits and to respond to Opposition calls to cancel the summits because of the changed economic climate. Manning indicated that the conferences were critically linked to the bread and butter of the average citizen.
"Following the high-level summits, it is anticipated that more requests to use our facilities will be forthcoming and that there will be an increase of business tourists on a continuous basis. The opportunities for hotels, taxi-drivers, artisans, caterers, interpreters, room attendants, tour operators, business equipment and other suppliers are therefore many," he said.
Noting that the Summit of the Americas, due to take place from April 17 to 19, comes three months after the inauguration of US President Barack Obama, Manning said it would be the "first multilateral forum in our hemisphere at which he (Obama) will have the opportunity to interact with his counterparts on issues affecting us all".
Addressing the "misguided notions in some quarters" as to why Government decided to host the conferences, Manning said: "Let me assure the national community that when we took the decision to host these events, it was ... after very, very, careful consideration of the benefits that can accrue to our people, and the wider Caricom region from leading multilateral initiatives of such importance and magnitude.
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