Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Education is assuring the public that although the T&T Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) based in Chaguaramas has closed its doors, the Government is seeking to set up other alternatives for students.
On Friday, the closure was confirmed in a release from Michelle Young, the Office Manager of the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants & Tourism Association (THRTA).
The THRTA blamed the final decision to close the organisation on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision to permanently close the facility comes less than a month after the resignation of the THRTA's CEO Brian Frontin.
Gadby-Dolly told the Sunday Guardian that it is “unfortunate” that the school which trains students for the tourism and hospitality sector was closed.
She noted that although it was run by the THRTA, the institute did receive a subsidy from the Government annually.
Although, it was privately run she noted that it received “millions of dollars” from the State.
She said the Government will be in talks with the different stakeholders to look at alternatives for the affected students.
A press release from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts on the matter, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the country but through the educational and training programmes available to citizens, there is a sufficient pool of skilled and talented human resources to support the development of the hospitality and tourism sector in the short to medium future.
“Notwithstanding the proposed closure of the TTHTI, the Ministry can confirm that there are a range of other publicly funded and private institutions that provide educational and training programs for the hospitality and tourism sector, both in Trinidad as well as in Tobago."
