Today's nominations for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections took a back seat during Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley's early morning interview on Tobago's Channel 5.
In an all-encompassing interview, a very comfortable looking Rowley discussed the land acquisition process for the expansion of the Tobago airport, the Venezuelan migrant issue and his daughter's Christmastime exemption.
Rowley said despite "ole talk" and rumblings that Tobagonians were being shanghaied into accepting payments for their property, the work was proceeding and the THA will follow the law.
He said that according to the law, the THA is not mandated to offer other land space for relocation.
"We did not just throw people off the land," he said.
Rowley said that the people would be getting prime Tobago land in Shirvan and in Cove.
The THA, he said, is giving terms that are very reasonable.
"Work has started," Rowley said.
Rowley admitted that while a handful of people would be affected, most should be satisfied with the process.
The Prime Minister also said that the new inter-island ferry, the APT James should be in the country shortly but was delayed by bad weather. The ferry, he said, is expected to boost inter-island travel by allowing a daily tourist trip between Trinidad and Tobago.
Rowley also confirmed that as part of the Covax group, a small percentage, between 25 and 35 percent of the population would begin receiving the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of March and the beginning of April.
"Our turn will come," he said.
Rowley continued to dismiss conversations about his daughter’s exemption and the exemption of Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi's son.
Rowley said that Al-Rawi's son was a student and was allowed into the country along with other students.