PNM Tobago leader admits contact with 'whistleblower'

POLITICAL leader of the PNM Tobago Council Ancil Dennis on Thursday said he had received information from Akil Abdullah in 2022 that was later revealed to the public and reported to the authorities. Dennis insisted that Abdullah's information was provided willingly and "without financial incentive."

Abdullah, a political activist in Tobago, fell into the limelight during an emergency sitting on of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) on July 19. During the sitting, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine played video recordings of Abdullah claiming to have met with high-ranking government and police officials in a plot to destabilise the current THA administration. Abdullah is not a member of the assembly.

Augustine said the recordings were made without Abdullah's knowledge. At the time, Augustine described Abdullah as a "whistleblower."

The Prime Minister has since initiated legal action against Abdullah for those statements.

Augustine's statement at the sitting was prompted by a police investigation into an audio clip circulated on social media in April. In the clip, voices can be heard discussing plans to use THA resources to fund a political propaganda campaign. The Integrity Commission is also investigating the clip.

Speaking with Newsday on Thursday, Dennis admitted to meeting with Abdullah on several occasions in 2022.

“Mr Abdullah was a whistleblower and informant and any engagements between me and him was always in that context where he came to me with information and subsequently evidence of some very concerning things taking place with this Tobago House of Assembly.”

He said some of the information had already been reported to the public and the relevant state agencies.

Dennis said he first denied any involvement with Abdullah was to safeguard Abdullah’s identity.

Asked whether his interactions with Abdullah could be viewed as witness tampering, Dennis said witness tampering only arose under specific circumstances when a person was an active police witness.

“My communications with him (Abdullah) were during the period 2022 and there was no police investigation taking place then. So all the communication was in the context of him providing information to me on things taking place within the Tobago House of Assembly which was PDP at that time.”

In a WhatsApp message earlier Thursday, Dennis encouraged Tobagonians with knowledge of wrongdoing in the THA to become whistleblowers.

"We want to again encourage all persons especially public servants, to come forward and blow the whistle on wrongdoing in any form, with the assurance that your identity will be unrevealed, unless of course, you prefer otherwise."

Dennis added: "Initially, we were adamant on protecting the identity of this whistleblower and informant which is our usual practice. However, due to recent developments, we regret to confirm that Akil Abdullah, without financial incentive, persuasion, or coercion, approached us voluntarily to provide information on wrongdoing within the PDP-led THA which he said at the time, troubled him as a Tobagonian. Information was provided on an ongoing basis."

Dennis said there were several interactions over a period of several months, during which time, compelling evidence of wrongdoing was provided, revealed to the public, and subsequently reported to the relevant authorities.

"We wish to reiterate that it is not customary for us to reveal our engagements with whistleblowers and informants, as we firmly believe that it is our duty to protect their identities in order to not expose them to the possibility of victimisation or other atrocities."

He added that whistleblowing was one of the most effective ways to detect and prevent corruption and other malpractice.

"Whistleblowers' disclosures have exposed wrongdoing and fraud and helped save millions in public funds. Whistleblowers' important role in safeguarding the public good is repeatedly proven by the scandals they uncover."

Newsday contacted Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael who declined comment. Augustine is out of the country.