THA Chief Sec on leaving PDP: 'We'll continue with our mandate'

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has broken his silence on the mass resignations by himself and the other Progressive Democratic Patriot (PDP) members of the THA.

Augustine said forming a new party is not on the front burner.

“What will be happening, we would be going to the public and we’re starting on the government side to call meetings where communities can come out to have conversations with area representatives and secretaries. On the political side, we will resume spot meetings soon.”

In the interim, he said the mandate by the PDP will be continued by the 13 elected assemblymen.

“There remain 13 of us who were candidates in the House that were to execute those things that the people have said to us that they wish to see us execute. If you look at over the year, all of those things were part of our mandate. We would continue to execute all the things in the mandate."On December 5, Augustine and 15 other THA members announced their resignations from the PDP, with effect from December 1.

The resignations came approximately three months after Augustine and PDP leader Watson Duke had a public feud, after which Duke stripped Augustine and two others of their PDP deputy-leader positions and himself resigned as THA deputy chief secretary.Speaking on the Rise and Shine morning show on Tobago Channel 5 on Tuesday, Augustine said: “It may have caused some distractions, but in no way does it take away from the functioning of the government, as per the law.”

Explaining their resignations, he said: “We have decided to part ways (with the party). We have endured weeks, probably months of some toxicity, of some public abuse.”

He said he and his team were quiet through it all.

“We did not in any way engage in a public back-and-forth.

"We also noted that the political leader of the PDP made it quite clear that he owns the party; it belongs to him. Whatever he says goes. It is all his own: there isn’t no room for any dissenting of opinion, no room for any other consideration.

"And in such a undemocratic scenario, we are left with no choice but to stand alone. That’s what we have chosen to do. It is in keeping with the THA Act.”

Who resigned from the PDP:

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine

Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief Secretary Certica Williams-Orr.

Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael

Assistant Secretary Sonny Craig

Secretary of Tourism, Culture. Antiquities and Transportation Tashia BurrisAssistant Secretary Megan Morrison

Secretary of Education, Research and Technology Zorisha Hackett

Assistant Secretary Orlando Kerr

Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development Trevor James Assistant Secretary Joel Sampson

Secretary of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport Terance Baynes Assistant Secretary Wane Clarke

Secretary of Settlements, Public Utilities and Urban Renewal Ian PollardAssistant Secretary Niall George

Secretary for Food Security Nathisha Charles-Pantin

Assistant Secretary Nigel Taitt