Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has not accepted an offer from Chief Secretary Orville London to meet and treat with the issue of internal self-government for Tobago. This was indicated by London, head of the Tobago House of Assembly, during his weekly press conference in Tobago yesterday.
London said he had asked the PM to meet with him to discuss the issue, but was only told the matter had been referred to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan. London added that the THA Act provides for him to meet with the Prime Minister on the matter, and not the AG.
"The act spoke to me speaking to the prime minister, because we are the ones who must take direct responsibility for the relationship between the assembly and the central government," he said. However, London still held out the expectation that good sense will prevail.
"I am still hoping in the interest of good governance, and in the interest of the people of Tobago, there'll be a recognition that, regardless of our political differences, we have a responsibility as Prime Minister and Chief Secretary to carry out our responsibilities to the people of Tobago."
London said he was still strongly recommending that the views of the people of Tobago be put on the national agenda. He said the position put forward by the THA were the views of the people of the island. Hours later, at the formal opening of the Magdelena Grand Beach Resort in Lowlands, Persad-Bissessar said her Government was committed to moving ahead with the issue.
She said, however, that the responsibility for approving the matter rests with the Parliament, and not the Cabinet or the THA. Persad-Bissessar said the PP Government "was committed to a conversation with the people of Tobago and of Trinidad." Later, she told reporters the Government remained committed to implementing internal self-government for the people of Tobago.
Earlier, several Tobagonians staged a placard demonstration outside the MIC building at Milford Road, Canaan, during a ceremony hosted by the Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim. Their placards read "Kamla go home," "Tobago will not surrender," and "UNC can't fool us twice."
The protesters later told the T&T Guardian that the PP Government, including THA Minority Leader Ashworth Jack, leader of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), was attempting to recolonise the people of Tobago.