THA Chief Sec: UNC leader 'ridiculous and disrespectful'

THA Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis has described as “ridiculous and disrespectful” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s tearing up a copy of what she claimed was a “gutted” version of the Tobago self-government bill.

Persad-Bissessar led her UNC MPs in a walkout from Parliament to protest the Prime Minister's being given an extra 60 minutes to wind up debate on a government motion.

It called on the House of Representatives to adopt the report of the Joint Select Committee which reviewed the Tobago Self-Government Bill and the Tobago Island Administration Bill.

Debate on the bills reached the committee stage on Tuesday but a vote has not been taken. The bills require a three-fifths majority for passage.

The JSC held three consultations in Tobago on April 30 and May 1. A third consultation was held in Trinidad on May 3.

But during the debate, several UNC speakers said the bills required more consultation with the people of Tobago.

At the post-executive council news conference on Thursday, Scarborough, Dennis slammed the UNC’s decision to walk out of the Parliament.

He said Persad-Bissessar also had no right to tear up a copy of the Tobago self-government bill.

“And then now you going in front the TV talking about yuh tearing up Tobago people business. Ridiculous and disrespectful,” Dennis declared.

He said the Opposition, even before the start of the debate, had decided not to support the bills.

“It can’t be that this goes to the Parliament and you could clearly see where UNC MPs already made up in their minds that they are not going to support this."