Who really deserves the credit for Tobago’s new airport terminal?
Former Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has reignited a political dispute over the new A.N.R. Robinson International Airport East Terminal, accusing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine of attempting to take credit for a project developed under his People’s National Movement (PNM) administration.
The controversy followed a social media post by Persad-Bissessar celebrating the opening of the facility, describing it as a new era for Tobago and a major milestone for tourism, investment and economic growth.
Rowley was clearly unimpressed.
Responding on Facebook, he declared that the PNM had built the facility and accused Persad-Bissessar and Augustine of previously attempting to obstruct the project.
“Now you trying to to tief credit for it!!!!! YUK,” Rowley wrote.
But what does the history of the airport project actually show?
The project began under the PNM.
The new terminal was approved and advanced under the Rowley administration, with construction beginning in July 2020. The project was managed by the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NIDCO), with China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Company Limited serving as the main contractor.
On March 15, 2025, before the change of government, the PNM administration held a ceremony marking the practical completion of the terminal.
However, practical completion did not mean the airport was ready to receive passengers. Further commissioning, testing and operational preparations were still required.
The facility was officially opened by Persad-Bissessar on October 13, 2026, with passenger operations beginning the following day.
But did Kamla and Farley actually oppose the project?
The historical record reveals a more complicated picture.
In December 2024, while Opposition Leader, Persad-Bissessar criticised the airport’s escalating costs and construction delays. She raised allegations involving approximately $431 million in cost overruns and questioned how the project was being managed.
The Rowley administration rejected allegations of financial wrongdoing and defended its handling of the development.
Augustine, meanwhile, had publicly challenged the treatment of Tobago families displaced by the airport expansion.
In August 2022, his administration intervened during controversial eviction proceedings involving affected residents. He later maintained that Tobago needed the new terminal but insisted that families should receive fair compensation and sufficient time to relocate.
His position was therefore not a rejection of the airport itself, although his intervention brought him into conflict with the central government over the project’s execution.
At the October 13 opening, Augustine again highlighted the sacrifices made by displaced families, apologising to residents whom he said had received inadequate compensation.
Interestingly, Rowley himself attended the opening ceremony, where Persad-Bissessar spoke about the employment, tourism and business opportunities the new facility could create.
Her subsequent celebratory social media post did not explicitly state that the UNC administration had initiated or constructed the airport.
Nevertheless, Rowley’s response has brought renewed attention to the question of political recognition.
The records establish that the PNM administration approved and oversaw the main construction of the terminal, while the facility became operational during the current UNC administration.
The project also involved years of controversy, delays and difficult decisions affecting residents.
Beyond the political argument, Tobago now has a modern terminal designed to accommodate up to three million passengers annually.
The greater question may ultimately be whether the facility delivers the tourism growth, investment and employment opportunities promised to Tobagonians.
For now, however, the airport has opened its doors, and the political battle over who deserves credit continues.