Benoit unaware of Chamber decision on chairman's job

Claude Benoit, Chairman of the Tobago Division of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said on Saturday he was would have to find out what transpired during his absence from Tobago before he could comment on reports involving the Chamber and his role as head.

Benoit, who is Managing Director of Trico Industries which operates the Channel 5 television station, said he returned to Tobago on Saturday from vacation and was hearing certain reports and would have to check on them.

“I now have to find out what is going on, what took place in my absence. When I have the information, I will share it with the media,” he told Newsday Tobago on Saturday. He said as far as he was concerned, the Chamber’s work continued in his absence as there were several committees set up to handle various functions and duties.

He was responding to requests for a comment that at a meeting last week Monday, the Chamber’s management committee decided that Vice Chairman Martin George will assume his Benoit’s role and functions.

George confirmed this decision, telling told Newsday Tobago on Wednesday:

“The decision of the management committee of the Tobago Division … going forward for the remainder of the current Chairman’s tenure, that the Vice Chairman shall assume all authority and control for operational and management issues, has been communicated to the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber and also to the current Chairman himself, as a means of ensuring that the work and business of the Tobago Division continues uninterrupted.”

It was news that surprised several of the Chamber’s members, and who reserved comment, saying they needed more information on the matter.

On Saturday, however, some members suggested that the decision by the management committee to usurp Benoit’s role and responsibilities was unconstitutional, pointing out that both Benoit and George contested the election for the position of Chairman at the March 2018 AGM, and that Benoit was voted in as Chairman.

“The Board needs to become involved in this because it is unconstitutional … there is a legal officer on the board and now is the time that he should get involved,” one member said, requesting anonymity.

“The members of the current executive were voted in at the last AGM, which is constitutionally due the third week of March annually. If for some reason, after the AGM, the Chairman is unable to fill his post, it is automatically handed to the Vice Chairman, but in this case, the Chairman is in good health and very much able to serve in the post,” the member said.

On Friday, George contacted Newsday Tobago to say he would not be taking over Benoit’s job, but more so assuming his role and functions as the Chamber’s Vice Chairman more effectively.