When talking about the Caribbean and Africa, the issue of connectivity frequently pops up as a key barrier in the development of both regions.
The 22nd annual Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment symposium, themed Dismantling Barriers and Strengthening Ties between Africa and the Caribbean, was held at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on July 31.
The event highlighted the progress of both regions, the need for greater exchange of goods and services and the barriers currently affecting connections between them.
Giving the feature address, CEO of the Africa Business Group Michael Sudarkasa outlined some of the current barriers between the regions – high tariffs, limited market knowledge and understanding, poor infrastructure and distance.
He highlighted the lack of direct transport to TT as a major concern. He said it took him 27 hours to fly from South Africa to TT, on a route from Johannesburg, Nairobi, New York and Miami to TT.
Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon said in 2020, Ghana and TT signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on air transport.
[caption id="attachment_1099819" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Michael Sudarkasa, CEO of the Africa Business Group. - Photo by Venessa Mohammed[/caption]
"This MoU has facilitated the commencement of negotiations, which are advancing.
"Parallel air-services agreements with the South Africa and Nigeria are also at advanced stages of negotiations."
She said these frameworks will be designed to facilitate direct air transport services that will make connectivity easier for air cargo services and tourism.
In a Business Day article in last year August 3 issue, Aylette Wright-Paul and Herbert Ghent of Caribbean Airlines (CAL) explained that the low demand for flights to Ghana and other African states, as well as a capacity to accommodate flights, were among the main challenges to establishing a direct route to the continent.
"In order to make the appropriate decisions, you need to have that market data," Wright-Paul said. "We did a brief fact-check before we came here, and the market data for 2019, which would have been pre-pandemic...indicated 61 people moving between TT and Ghana for that year.
"Our fleets are complemented by Boeing 737 Max 8s, so in terms of range, yes, they are able to cross the Atlantic – but can they do it with people on board? So we may be looking at a different type of aircraft which is not in our fleet."
The 737 Max 8s have a maximum flight range of 3,550 nautical miles, but the distance from TT to Ghana is 3,923 nautical miles. Some of the planes that are capable of transatlantic
travel are the Boeing A330-200, listed for US$238 million, and at US$241.7 million for the freighter versions.
On the more expensive side, the Boeing Max 777-8 costs US$410.2 million. The 777-9 costs
around US$442 million.
[caption id="attachment_1099818" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon speaks at the 22nd annual Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment symposium at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain,
