PDP’s Augustine: Little expectation on meeting with PM

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) deputy political leader Farley Augustine says he is not expecting any fruitful outcome to this week’s meeting between the Prime Minister and the 12 assemblymen in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

Dr Rowley is expected to meet with the assemblymen and other top THA officials on Wednesday in Tobago.

It is unclear as to what the agenda is likely to be.

The meeting takes place a day after the Senate debates the THA Amendment Bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives on February 19 without Opposition support.

The Government believes the legislation presents the best chance of ending the six-six deadlock in the THA after the January 25 THA election.

The legislation proposes to increase from 12 to 15 seats the number of electoral districts on the island.

The Government believes this will eliminate the possibility of deadlocks in future THA elections.

But speaking to reporters on Friday after a PDP march in uptown Scarborough, Augustine said he is not holding out much hope for a successful meeting.

The PDP had called on Rowley to meet with the assemblymen before the decision was taken to draft legislation to take to the Parliament.

“I have very little expectations given how he has treated with this matter to date,” Augustine said.

“But we represent a significant portion of the population and feel it is right to go and air our views to him and let him know how displeased we are with how he has handled this matter.

“He is the Prime Minister of all of Trinidad and Tobago and not prime minister of the PNM.”