Analyst: Chief Sec must support claims with hard evidence

POLITICAL analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath says Chief Secretary Farley Augustine must bring “some hard evidence” of wrongdoing on the part of the PNM to not only win the confidence of the majority of Tobagonians but to also place his administration in a “strong political position.”

Ragoonath was responding to Augustine explosive statement on Wednesday in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough, in which he alleged the Prime Minister, Commissioner of Police, PNM Tobago Council leader, a Tobago contractor and several other people were part of a network to destabilise the THA.

He further alleged the group was behind the police raids at his official residence in Lowlands on Tuesday as well as at the homes and offices of other THA officials over the weekend.

Augustine, at a specially convened sitting, played audio clips of his conversations with a man earlier this month, who claimed he met with high-ranking officials on several occasions “to discredit yourself primarily and the current administration.”

He said based on the man’s statements, high-ranking public officers, including the office of the Commissioner of Police, are part of a network that is illegally gathering information on citizens and political opponents.”

Augustine has called for an independent inquiry into the raids, which he alleged were obtained through “bribery, improper political influence, corruption, police misbehaviour and other forms of police misconduct.”

Dr Rowley and Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher have denied Augustine’s allegations.

On Thursday, Ragoonath told Newsday, “If Farley could bring some hard evidence to say that whatever his whistleblower did tell him has some merit in it, then it places Farley in a strong position.

“If, however, Farley allows it to fizzle because he has nothing really to go on, then his administration will be in a challenging place because he will now have to defend himself against the people of Tobago, who are saying you are only crying wolf when there is no wolf around and prove yourself.”

Ragoonath said he has no doubt that Augustine is being “pressured by central government to make him look bad.

“That is normal political strategy. But the extent to which he is able to prove that is going to be the real challenge for him. If he cannot bring something stronger, he will be under pressure both from the people in Tobago as well as from central government.

“But if he brings some sort of evidence, then he gets the support of the people in Tobago and from the Opposition in Trinidad.”

He said pressure will then be placed on the PNM to determine how it will allow the THA to function.

Ragoonath said since becoming chief secretary, Augustine has claimed consistently that the THA is unable to settle down because of interference from central government.

“His latest salvo, I would think, is his intent to put something in the public domain that would, in a way, force the PNM, if they are actually doing that, to retract and regress somewhat so that they don’t show that they are trying to overtly undermine the government of Tobago.”

He added, “If that is his ploy and the PNM backs off a little, it gives him some breathing space to now show that he could do something and then the challenge will be for him now to prove himself.

“But in the meantime, he is going to try to ride this card that he is playing to say that he cannot function effectively because he stymied by a central government, which is doing everything in its power to undermine the ability of the THA to properly function.”

Meanwhile, Newsday interviewed several Tobagonians on Thursday about Augustine’s startling allegations in the House but most of them declined comment.

Only three offered brief responses but did not want to their names mentioned.

A Goodwood woman said, “Why they doh give the boy (Augustine) a chance. He is trying to make things right but he is getting plenty of opposition. The PNM needs to stop meddling in Tobago people business.’

Another woman from Golden Lane said she is “totally fed up of the back and forth” between the THA and the government.

“I really don’t know who to believe. Only God knows. But at the end of the day, it is the PNM people who are suffering.”

A Mason Hall man said, “All I want is some peace.”

He called on politicians “on both sides of the fence to buckle down and work for the people.”

At present, he said, “Tobagonians are the losers.”