Dennis: Claims of run-down Chief Secretary residence exaggerated

Former chief secretary Ancil Dennis has accused his successor, Farley Augustine, of grossly exaggerating the condition of the chief secretary's official residence in Lowlands, Tobago.

At a plenary sitting at the Assembly Legislature in Scarborough on Thursday, Augustine claimed the residence was in a significant state of disrepair which required over $200,000 to fix. Augustine said the house was so dilapidated, he preferred to stay in a room downstairs his father's house in Speyside.

Among the complaints raised by Augustine were rust, broken awnings, non-functional AC units, broken bathroom fixtures, missing and broken tiles and moulding and torn-up cushions, upholstery and couches.

He also said there was urine on furniture surfaces, missing fixtures and damaged lattice, balcony planks that made the space unsafe.

Augustine complained there were missing lights and a significant build-up of calcium and limestone found in the unmaintained pool.

Pictures to back up Augustine' claims were also released online.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Dennis, who occupied the residence from August 1, 2020 to December 2021, acknowledged that the residence was not in pristine condition, but he said the run-down state expressed by Augustine was not how he left it.

He posted photos of his own showing children jumping into the pool as well as people walking through the house.

Dennis said, "Let me state categorically that during my time as Chief Secretary, I neither lived in squalor nor did I endure any significant discomfort as the released images may suggest.

"Let me also refute every direct or implied claim that I misused or abused public property during my time at the residence. The pictures of selected areas of the residence are neither reflective of the true state, nor the maintenance of it by hard-working and committed employees of the THA. This can be verified by the property manager and other public servants who made periodic inspections and visits as part of their job."

Dennis said the facility being near the sea, naturally there would be corrosion due to the sea blast.

"Outdoor furniture which appeared to be originally red, were clean but already discoloured and significantly worn upon my arrival at the residence, due to exposure to the elements. This was the case with all outdoor furniture, with the exception of the white wooden chairs and tables which were in good shape.

"All indoor furniture and appliances including the living room chair set were in good condition when I arrived, and remained so upon my departure."

Dennis said, apart from changing the bed and some electrical work to improve outdoor lighting– for security purposes – no renovations were done.

"I thought it irresponsible and unnecessary to engage in any significant expenditure on the official residence during what was expected to be a short six months stay during a pandemic. And those who know me well will know that I hardly complain.

"The imperfections of the residence were the least of my problems as I had a raging pandemic to deal with which rendered several Tobagonians homeless."

He said pictures of a dirty swimming pool were a far cry from what he had left and were seemingly taken after he had demitted office. He acknowledged that two of his Siberian huskies had "chewed up several of the cushions for the outdoor chairs, which I offered to pay for upon my departure."

He said the cushions might have been stored in a garden shed or pool shed which would have caused its further deterioration based on the photos shown.

"Was the official residence perfect? No! Maintenance of it like many other public facilities in this country is woefully insufficient especially if compared to the White House or Buckingham Palace. Nevertheless, it was always comfortable and the facilities were satisfactorily kept by THA employees from both the Division of Food Production and Division of Infrastructure."

Dennis said former chief administrator Bernadette Solomon-Koroma would not have allowed the residence to deteriorate to such condition as being described by Augustine.

"So the Chief Secretary can break it down and rebuild it if he pleases. He can throw away all the furniture with the presumed pee stains that he mentioned (I guess he is an expert at identifying the cause of stains). However, while he spends thousands or millions fixing his new place of abode for the next four years, I hope he fixes other more important issues as promised.

"Pictures are not required to demonstrate the horror faced by some THA workers having to wait three months for a salary, not to buy furniture or a much needed piece of appliance, but just to eat."