Trade Minister: Inaugural flight to Ghana coming

News Ryan Hamilton-Davis 4 Hrs Ago

Satyakama Maharaj, Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism. - Faith Ayoung

MINISTER OF Trade and Tourism Satyakama Maharaj has announced plans to launch an inaugural test flight from TT to Ghana.

He made the announcement at a post-Cabinet media conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's.

The minister said the government is looking at an Ethiopian airline charter and is in consultation with the government of Ghana to execute the plan. He explained the frustrations of crossing the Atlantic, noting that flights to the African and Indian continents takes days.

“A flight from Piarco to Accra going to Ghana takes two days,” he said. “Republic Bank has 40 branches in Ghana and they are concerned because a two-day trip is expensive and time consuming.”

He said the government is looking at “all options” to establish flights between the Caribbean and the African continent.

“We would love if CAL would take a flight from Piarco to New York to Accra, but this is an inaugural test flight. We aren’t expecting that it will be a full flight going across but once we set that and we see what is possible, the sky is the limit.”

He said everyone is pleased with the fact that the government is exploring ways to open up the African market.

“We are looking at a free-trade agreement with Ghana and TT and Caricom and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowac), which has a market of 450 million people. So yes we are looking at it.”

He said the fact that Ghana has appointed its first ambassador to TT, who is in the country and has presented his credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is a sign that Ghana is also interested in opening up the market.

Maharaj had expressed his plans for growing trade relations between TT and African nations after his swearing-in, in May.

He told reporters that West Africa alone is home to a market of 470 million people, but the biggest challenge is the difficulty behind visiting the African countries.

“If you cannot visit you cannot do business,” he said back in May. “We have to open that market and negotiate.”