(Trinidad Express) A special team should be established to market Trinidad and Tobago and attract investments worldwide, says Sports Ambassador Brian Lara.
Former West Indies cricket captain Lara and fellow Sports Ambassador and ex-T&T skipper Daren Ganga, were present yesterday at a welcome reception hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission at the Lalit hotel, Delhi yesterday.
Both men are part of the official delegation accompanying Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on her state visit in India.
Lara, the world individual cricket record-holder, was the centre of attention at the function. He barely had a moment to breathe and was continuously flanked by fans requesting photographs with him.
In an interview with the Express, he hailed the mission to India as an important one as he noted that India was one of the fastest growing markets in the world.
“I think sporadic occasions like this is on the knob, I think you’ve got to use your resources, be it human elements or natural resources as much as possible because Trinidad and Tobago is a very beautiful island and anybody who I have brought enjoys it, always wants to come back…and we need to perhaps extend it a lot more and create more ventures like this so we can go around the world— Australia, America, Brazil and bring people back to Trinidad and Tobago, ” Lara said.
“There’s always talk about how long oil and gas is going to last. Trinidad and Tobago has to advertise itself. Every other country does that, Las Vegas in America, London in England, the Italians, all these people are dependent on the tourist dollar. I don’t know why Trinidad should feel that they are so self- sufficient, the only way you can do that is to market yourself to the world, not just one period for the year but throughout the year, maybe set a team that can do that, ” he added.
Lara said the doors of opportunity must be widened as he noted that the Indians, Chinese and Syrians are already doing business in Trinidad.
“This is certainly a step in the right direction, I am very proud to see so many people from the business sector here, the Minister mentioned somewhere in the region of 165, paid to come up here, that in itself shows we have the interest of the people, it is up to us for us to attract the Indians to come to Trinidad and invest, “he said.
He added that Sports tourism must also be marketed adding that he had discussions with Tourism Minister Rupert Griffith about this.
Ganga also supported Lara’s view saying that trade and investment missions were the way forward.
“I fully endorse these missions. The world is a common place, so to speak, and missions like these, once they are structured properly, can bring great rewards. I know that Trinidad and Tobago is ripe for different joint ventures and partnerships and hopefully with the information we are getting here, there is a lot of new relationships being formed” he said.
“Over the years I know that our trade relations have grown and this is an opportunity for us to strengthen that relationship. We built a brand in terms of Trinidad and Tobago cricket and people no longer see the West Indies as one particular nation. They understand it is a few separate countries that consist the West Indies cricket team.
“I think this is an opportunity for all of our ministers and ministries to build platforms, progress in the future from a trade relations, from an education point of view. Trinidad and Tobago is becoming very diversified, not just in oil and gas but other sectors” he added.
Ganga also praised the Indian Government for inviting Persad-Bissessar as the chief guest of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Jaipur.
“I think commendations must go to the Indian Government for recognising our Prime Minister. I think she is the first female Prime Minister from the diaspora so that in itself is an achievement so I pay special tribute to India for recognising her” he said.
Both Lara and Ganga will be accompanying the Prime Minister until the end of the mission on January 14.
