THA executive council has not been questioned by cops

THE Office of the Chief Secretary says no member of the executive council of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has been interviewed by police.

On Sunday, the Chief Secretary’s office said it “vehemently refutes and categorically denies the mischievous and irresponsible false report” on a television newscast on Saturday.

It said the statement that some executive members had been interviewed by police was “unequivocally false, as no member of the THA Executive Council has been interviewed by any law enforcement agency up to the present date”

The release said it expected the media outlet to contact the subjects of their report for comment.

It said had it done so, it would not have “fallen into the regrettable trap of disseminating such an embarrassing error.”

The release said, “Moreover, in the same report, deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence, Curt Simon, acknowledged conducting interviews with ‘members of the THA.’ “It is crucial to clarify that the members of the THA encompass its presiding officer, assemblymen and councillors.

“For absolute clarity, the 16 members comprising the majority firmly declare that they have not been subjected to any interviews conducted by law enforcement authorities.

“While the Executive Council of the Tobago House of Assembly maintains the utmost respect for the role of the Fourth Estate, it is imperative that confidence in their journalistic integrity is preserved.

“Such confidence can only be sustained when reporting is neither plainly false at worst nor misleading at best.”

The release called for a retraction and apology from the media outlet.