Jet fuel shortage in Tobago hurting tourism

A shortage of aviation jet fuel in Tobago is putting a damper on the efforts of Tourism Secretary Neil Wilson to attract over 100,000 visitors to the island this year.

In this the last two weeks of the year, international flights have been unable to have their tanks filled at the Crown Point International Airport. Since Friday the underground storage facilities have run dry.

The Excel Airlines flight was delayed on Sunday to 10 p.m. and was forced to divert to Piarco where it refueled before departing for London. Two other Excel flights were similarly affected over the past three days.

Officials of National Petroleum Marketing Co Ltd (NP) said over the weekend they were unaware of the shortage.

However, Wilson said yesterday that he had contacted Energy Minister Eric Williams who promised to investigate the reason for the shortage of jet fuel on the island and get back to him.

Wilson said the tanker, which transports aviation jet fuel from Pointe-a-Pierre in Trinidad to Crown Point in Tobago had broken down and was under repairs. He added that a replacement was sourced and the fuel was being loaded Tuesday.

President of the Hotels Association, René Seepersadsingh, told the Express that the excuse of the fuel tanker breaking down was highly unacceptable and called for a proper Government investigation into the matter.