THA Chief Secretary eager to meet with Prime Minister

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says he is eagerly anticipating his meeting with the Prime Minister.

During a news conference on Saturday, Dr Rowley told reporters he intended to meet with Augustine to discuss the possibility of resuming reef tours in Tobago. On Monday, beaches were reopened from 5 am-2pm.

Acknowledging that reef operators were affected by the shutdown of tours over the past few months, Rowley said boat tours would take place, with some covid19 restrictions.

At the post-executive council news conference on Wednesday, Augustine said he got word during the briefing that the Office of the Prime Minister was trying to contact him.

“I am not sure if our meeting will be covid19-related, but I was informed, while I am seated here in this press conference (Wednesday), that an effort was being made by the Prime Minister’s Office to reach out to me,” he told reporters.

“That means we will meet sometime soon. I am not sure if it’s going to be a telephone conversation or whether we will meet in person. That is to be determined.”

Augustine said people should not make “heavy weather” of his meeting with Rowley.

“The law actually says that the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary, we are supposed to have regular meetings or regular conversations, and I guess we are about to have our first conversation since the very, very small salutation at the swearing-in ceremony (for the new THA members) in December.”

Augustine said he is looking forward to the meeting.

“I look forward to advocating for Tobago issues. I look forward to being firm on Tobago’s position on several matters, and I look forward to hearing from the Prime Minister and the things he will wish to share with me as well.”

Augustine has been critical of the Government’s plan to furlough unvaccinated workers in the public sector. He said another strategy must be used to increase vaccinations among public servants in Tobago.

On Saturday, Rowley announced that public-sector workers now have until February 17 to ensure they are vaccinated against covid19 to be able to work.