PDP deputy: Stop deflecting from poor accountability

Pro​​gressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) deputy leader and electoral representative for Parlatuvier/ L’Anse Fourmi/ Speyside Farley Augustine is denying claims made by Secretary of Health, Wellness and Family Development Tracy Davidson-Celestine about lack of representation in his electoral district.

Davidson-Celestine on Thursday accused him of not doing enough for members of his electoral district during the covid19 pandemic. The secretary said she stepped in to assist when she was made aware of two incidents of people needing aid and not receiving it.

Augustine said her accusations are far from the truth.

“It is a desperate attempt to deflect from the fact that her office could not properly account by way of record keeping for nearly $700,000 in food vouchers,” he said.

This follows the Auditor General's report, which spans the period October 2019 to September 2020, raised concerns over some irregularities in the disbursement of covid19 relief, particularly food cards, food vouchers and rental assistance.

Augustine said last year during the first lockdown there were two options available to Tobagonians to apply for food cards: either apply for temporary food cards via the Division of Finance and the Economy, or apply via the social relief forms for temporary food cards.

“No one was supposed to apply for both, so as to avoid double dipping.”

He said both sets of applications were submitted electronically by his office.

“To the Division of Finance and the Economy, 26 applications. Through the social relief programme, 89 ticked the option for food cards. In total 115 applications for food cards were submitted electronically.”

He produced copies of both forms highlighting the option for food card as well as screenshots from the office’s e-mail showing automated responses from the Division of Finance and the Economy and Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development.

However, he said the focus should remain on the issues raised by the Auditor General.

“And what does my office submission of applications for food cards from the social relief programme, through the Division of Health Wellness and Family Development, have to do with the fact that the Auditor General cannot locate records for food vouchers distributed by the Office of the Secretary of Health?”

He added: “Clearly this is all smoke screens and mirrors.”

He said he along with his staff worked extremely hard last year to ensure that assistance could be provided.

“We were the only ones that actually walked around the district and sign people up. We even ended up Lambeau and we set up two tents and two stations by the junction and help people. I even have a file at my office marked Lambeau.”