Chief Sec: Farley willing to sleep with the devil

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis has chided Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) deputy Farley Augustine for being "silent" and therefore "facilitative" to allegations of victimisation against his political leader, Watson Duke.

Dennis was speaking at a political meeting on Monday at the Speyside playing field.

Addressing Duke's tenure as president of the Public Services Association (PSA), Dennis said Tobagonians must beware his track record.

Citing an Industrial Court case between the PSA and Bankers Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) where Duke was ordered to reinstate 11 fired PSA workers, Dennis said Tobago House of Assembly (THA) workers must be wary about putting him in the Assembly.

"All of these workers were members of the union," Dennis said.

The PSA workers had protested after expressing concerns over wage negotiations, working conditions and their pension plan.

Scoffing at Augustine's statement on the political platform that he wanted to save PNM candidate for Parlatuvier/ L'Anse Fourmi/ Speyside Franka Cordner from the PNM, Dennis added, "Yuh so want to be Chief Secretary yuh prepared to sleep with the devil until December 6.

"Ah talking now because ah have courthouse clothes and ah have courthouse evidence, because ah print this from a courthouse website," he said while waving the court judgment.

Augustine has previously said the police should investigate whatever allegations are there against Duke in the PSA, and "let the chips fall where they may."

Dennis, the PNM candidate for Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, claimed Augustine "has been having sleepless nights because of the sins of Watson Duke."

He said he has no such issue with his leader, Tracy Davidson-Celestine.

"So I'm saying to the people of Tobago, do not allow Watson Duke and his dupe which is Farley Augustine, to get close to the Tobago House of Assembly. Do not allow people who...don't stand up for Tobago people when they are being victimised, do not allow them to get anywhere close to the Assembly."

He asked Augustine: "Yuh know about zipline, and yuh have all the evidence about zipline – have you seen these documents? Are you aware your leader has dismissed workers in the PSA, has (allegedly) dismissed fellow executive members for having a contrary opinion?"

Dennis chastised Augustine's recent boast about Duke stepping aside as leader of the PDP's election campaign.

He warned that Duke was being manipulative, not magnanimous as Augustine claimed."Watson Duke has a way where he does what he has to do to get where he wants to go. And when he gets where he wants to go, he does whatever the hell he wants to do."

Dennis asked supporters to recall Duke's "resignation" as PSA president in 2019. Duke collected over $500,000 in pension but reneged on his decision to leave.

He said people must not ignore Duke's PSA management when voting.

"If ah man totally destroy the PSA –­ yuh go give him the THA to manage?"