London-PM meet today

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Orville London and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will meet today at the Parliament Building, Tower D, Port-of-Spain.

The meeting was requested by London to discuss several critical issues of concern to Tobago, including his proposal for the Central Government to abort the present process before the Parliament to give Tobago self-government and for it to return to discussion and negotiation with the assembly to come to a point where by the time the bill got to Parliament there should not be too many areas of disconnect between the people of Tobago and the people of the rest of the country.

Issues expected to be discussed are:
• The collaboration of the Central Government in the revitalisation of the Tobago economy.
• A review of the relationship between ministers of Government and secretaries in the THA.
• Funding for housing programmes in Tobago.
• The appointment of THA nominees to State boards and commissions to deal with issues of a Tobago nature which required an input from the assembly. 

London said the assembly, up to last year, had representation on 30 boards.

The Chief Secretary said he would also recommend to Persad-Bissessar the institutionalisation of quarterly non-crisis meetings between the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary to formulate administrative and legislative mechanisms for the promotion of harmony in the affairs of T&T.

London said he continued to be heartened by the posture of the Prime Minister and her team and hoped it would be something which would be sustained.