'No, Farley. No!' – IDA slams Chief Sec's conduct

THE INNOVATIVE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (IDA) has strongly criticised THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine’s conduct.

In a statement from its public relations unit on Tuesday, the party weighed in on Augustine’s call for the Prime Minister to ‘mind yuh damn business,” after Dr Rowley urged him to seek a fresh mandate by calling an election.

In an op-ed posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, Rowley said Augustine and his executive, who launched the Tobago People’s Party on April 17, did not have the mandate of Tobagonians.

He added if Augustine and his team wanted to be take seriously by the central government and Tobagonians he should “make an arrangement for an early election.”

Rowley noted the Chief Ssecretary and his executive were elected members of the Progressive Democratic Patriots when the party took control of the assembly after winning the December 6, 2021 THA election.

But he noted they “created a situation where the business of the executive of the Tobago House of Assembly has ended up in the hands of a self-serving group of independents, who, while under no legal requirement to resign their positions, have no mandate from the people of Tobago.”

Augustine, in a post on his Facebook page on Monday, hit back, telling Rowley to mind his own business and stay out of Tobago affairs.

He had also played a brief video clip of Rowley telling listeners that even as Prime Minister, he had no remit in the affairs of the THA.

In a comment accompanying the clip, Augustine said, “Well just mind yuh damn business then.”

On Tuesday, the IDA described Augustine’s behaviour as “foolish and outrageous.”

The party said, “This is not ‘good’ Tobago upbringing nor is it in keeping with the office of the highest serving public official in Tobago which you hold. Your actions in the House at the last sitting and your recent response to the Prime Minister on your Facebook page “to mind yuh dam business” demonstrates your continued tendency to petulant behaviour and not thinking through your actions.

“To this we must say categorically “No, Farley. No!” This is way beneath our expectations of you as our sitting Chief Secretary.”

It added, “While we are all human and given to being put off by many irritations, your position in the public office you hold demands your conduct be a cut above your baser human instinct.

When you speak, it’s on behalf of the people of Tobago and not just your followers. The Prime Minister is indeed the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and as such you ought to look at the opportunities for meaningful conversations regarding Tobago’s future instead of this disrespectful political banter that does not put food on the table for Tobagonians, get better jobs for the people, nor help our private sector grow.”

The IDA said the island must begin to see “more actions in the interest of Tobago and less driven by personal agendas.”

The party said the “current antics and relationships” between the islands have shown that there is immediate need for communication between Rowley and Augustine instead of “engaging in political banter that is calling for early elections."

The IDA added while it supports many Tobagonians who believe that the current administration is ill-equipped to advance Tobago’s future, “We see this as an ideal circumstance for further analysis and deliberation on the Tobago Bill to ensure it addresses the myriad of issues recently exposed, including but not limited to, the effective administration of public officers between the central government and the THA and the mechanisms for democratic and administrative oversight to enable good governance and effective representation in Tobago.”

The party said right-thinking Tobagonians are well aware that the current Tobago Bill, while grossly inadequate, can be used to force snap elections in Tobago.

“We urge you to consider that this will result in a very unfortunate and crippling road for Tobago as an island and its economy, if it is only meant to fulfil the specific agenda of the PNM that in essence will not be committed to truly having Tobago positioned in a way for success with greater autonomy.

“The IDA and the people of Tobago will be looking on with keen interest to see whether the Prime Minister will stay true to his own position of allowing Tobago to manage its affairs and whether the Chief Secretary would temper his behaviour and focus on developing Tobago.”