Nothing wrong in THA refund for eye surgery says Anselm

Finance Secretary Dr Anselm London is describing as “nonsense and a non-issue” claims by Tobago Organisation of the People leader Ashworth Jack that the Tobago House of Assembly official used $22,000 from the THA for eye surgery.

Jack made the claim during a public meeting of the TOP in Sou Sou Lands, Tobago, on Monday night.

“The Minister of Finance, Circular No 4 of 2009, states, inter alia, entitlement of medical attention treatment and prescribed drugs at a health establishment. Medical attention can be obtained at regional health authorities, including the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. The person went on to say that based on the circular from the Ministry of Finance, the secretary of finance was not entitled to get a refund,” Jack said.

He said London had the surgery at a private hospital and claimed the funding was provided against the advice of the minister of finance and that London was subsequently refunded under the authority of Chief Secretary Orville London.

Dr London, when contacted on the matter said he was not prepared to waste any time commenting on Jack’s claim. 

He said Jack should refer to the THA’s Secretaries Conditions of Service and be guided accordingly. London insisted he acted in accordance with the document and that he had done nothing wrong.

London said Jack’s claim was not worthy of any other response.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking official of the People’s National Movement has  dismissed calls for Hilton Sandy, the party’s candidate for Belle Garden/Roxborough/Delaford and Deputy Chief Secretary, to withdraw from the election because of his “Calcutta ship” comments.

Sandy told a PNM campaign meeting last Friday, in the presence of Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and Chief Secretary Orville London, that “a ship from Culcutta was waiting to take over the island” if the PNM was unsuccessful in the January 21 THA election.

Sandy has since apologised for what has been deemed racist comments and the source said the PNM “was not prepared to advance another party’s election campaign.”