BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are exploring the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tourism and culture in an effort to best advance interest on both sides.

A government statement issued following talks in Barbados last weekend between Tourism Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill and Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport, Eli Zakour, said that matters pertaining to regional air connectivity, enhanced training for air traffic controllers and the cost of intra-regional travel were among the areas discussed.

It said that the two officials discussed the state of the industry in both countries and agreed to strengthen relations with Gooding-Edghill stressing that there were significant benefits that could be shared among the two countries, pointing to the sustainability of Barbados’ tourism product.

He said this sustainability had resulted in a “wave of investment” in some instances by Trinidadian investors including ongoing hotel projects in the south, west and north of the island, such as Hotel Indigo, the Hyatt, the Pierhead Project, Royalton Vessence, Pendry Hotel, Blue Monkey Hotel and Beach Club.

Gooding-Edghill said that a MOU between the two countries should be pursued to “see how best we can advance our interests on both sides”.

The statement said that there was a lengthy discussion on enhanced training for air traffic controllers (ATCs) with Gooding-Edghill indicating that there was a training deficit in this area and expressed the desire for ATCs to be trained in Trinidad “in quick order”.

“We would like to advance that as a matter of urgency.  We are in discussions with the Ministry of Finance as to the funding for it…and we need to move on this urgently. It is also an opportunity for us to not only train persons but also continue that excellent working relationship that Barbados has always had with the Civil Aviation Training Centre in Trinidad,” he added.

For his part, Zakour proposed a MOU on the training, with the details to be worked out shortly with the Director General for the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority, Carey Price, stating that ATC staff shortages were not unique to Barbados and they were “happy to do anything that we can to accommodate Barbados’ needs for capacity building”.

The two officials also discussed recruitment of ATCs, ongoing efforts to boost airlift in Trinidad with the signing of air services agreements, the worldwide shortage of pilots, the high cost of intra-regional travel, and generating greater interest among the youth in careers in aviation, among other topics.