London blames media for ‘blowing up’ TRHA issue

CASANDRA THOMPSON–FORBES

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Orville London says the media are responsible for blowing the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) board issue out of proportion. London was responding to a question about the status of the board while he and Tobago Development Minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin were sitting at the same table during a joint press conference on Monday.
London said the media gave the story more credence than it deserved.

He said: “I think we have been giving a lot of media play to an issue that is not fundamental either to what is the responsibility of the Chief Secretary or the responsibility of the minister, to a certain extent.
“I am not saying this as a criticism but the media would have been responsible for actually blowing this thing out of proportion and giving it more media play and giving it more credence it really deserves.”
London told the media he would not respond to any more questions about the TRHA until he received word from Prime Minister Kamla Persad–Bissessar.

He said the public bickering reflected negatively on both his and Alleyne-Toppin’s public image.  
“I am making it very clear that I am not prepared to answer any more questions on that either until I get a response from the Office of the Prime Minister,” he said. The TRHA continues to operate without a board. London has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue during her visit to Tobago today.