Morris: No hope for THA ex-gratia payment by Christmas

Minority Leader Kelvon Morris said Tobago House of Assembly (THA) workers are unlikely to get their ex-gratia payment, promised by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine before the end of the year, in time for Christmas Day.

Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday, Morris expressed his disappointment at the situation.

“At this point, I am saddened and really sympathise with the disappointment of all those voters who went out​ and supported the PDP (Progressive Democratic Patriots) based on the promise of an ex-gratia gift for Christmas of December 25, 2021.”

The ex-gratia payment was one of the campaign promises by the PDP in the December 6, 2021 THA election. PDP political leader Watson Duke had initially promised to deliver it before Christmas 2021 if the party was successful in the election.

"We will find the money," Duke had told supporters. "That is why you put us there – to find the money. Doh study that. When we begin to pull the books under Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, and we find the money, we will take money and put dey. That is what a government does."

Earlier this month, Augustine had assured that "preparations are in place" to deliver the payment before the end of 2022.

Augustine was one of the 13 former PDP assemblymen who resigned from the party on December 1 and declared themselves independents.

Morris said, “One year later, Farley has so far failed to deliver on this promise, notwithstanding the numerous assurances and timelines of commitment that were previously​​ mooted by him in and out of the Assembly Chamber. Yet again, Tobagonians have been hoodwinked and tricked by a Chief Secretary that is disingenuously deceptive with his words and deceitfully dangerous in his actions.”

He said the THA workers are but one of the many victims that have fallen prey to Augustine’s inability to hold true to his words and his promises.

“Even worse is that every time that Farley is called out for his misgivings, he cunningly finds a way to absolve himself of blame and somehow deflects that blame upon public servants or some other authority.”

He said he remains hopeful but he does not believe the administration will deliver.

“I strongly suspect that this payment is not a priority of Farley and his band of defectors.”

All attempts to contact Augustine proved futile as calls and messages went unanswered.