Gopaul Boodan, Mayor of the Borough of Chaguanas in Central Trindad, sees growing opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago nationals in Canada who wish to invest ” back home.”

In an interview with the Caribbean Camera  on Monday, Mayor Boodan who was on a brief visit to Toronto, said  “Chaguanas is open for business and those who wish can come home and take advantage of the opportunities.

“There is a development thrust in housing and retail business and many other areas.”

He noted, however, there may be some concerns “among people coming back home with plans for investment.”

” I think that is because of the high level of bureaucracy within the country,” he explained.

But the mayor is optimistic that ” as we continue to make representation to make the bureaucracy more efficient, things will improve.”

During his visit to Toronto,  Mayor Boodan met with Toronto Mayor John Tory.

” We ( Mayor Tory and I ) had a brief discussion last week.”

But he said he had  more extensive talks with Councillor Michael Thompson who is chairman of the City’s economic development committee and has been to Trinidad ” and saw

what we are doing in Chaguanas.”

Mayor Boodan noted that for the last three years ” we in Trinidad have be working on a project  with the support of the Federation of Canadian municipalities.

” We access management support , training and expertise so that  we can develop Chaguanas.”

“We are very much grateful for the support that we’ve got and I intend to continue to cement the partnership between Chaguanas and the Federation of Canadian  Municipalities,” he said.

Mayor Boodan who met on Monday with Cherrone Mokund, the acting consul general of Trinidad and Tobago,said he also had discussions with a representative of the Canada- Trinidad and Tobago Business Association and  ” other interested parties.”

He also spoke of   “sporting links” between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago,

Recalling the visit to Trinidad last year of the Mayor of Toronto’s cricket team, he had high praise for “the quality of the players both on and off  the field.”

“They were worthy ambassadors of Toronto,” he remarked.

He said he was looking forward to hosting the Toronto team when it comes back to Trinidad this year.

“And we want to send an Under -17 team to Canada but  plans are still in the discussion stage ” he added,

Mayor Boodan returned to Trinidad on Tuesday.