Augustine: 'Slight changes' to Tobago autonomy bills needed

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said only "slight changes" are needed in the Tobago autonomy bills, which are currently before a Joint Select Committee of Parliament.

Last Thursday at the funeral of former chief secretary Hochoy Charles, the Prime Minister said the Tobago Self-Government Bill and the Tobago Island Administration Bill "will be put before the Parliament for the 41 members of Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament to vote on it on your behalf.”

In June 2021, the Opposition United National Congress walked out during the debate on the bill in Parliament. The bills require a three-fifths majority for passage, meaning they must get the UNC’s support.

Tobago's autonomy has been a contentious issue for years. After several public consultations in both islands, the autonomy bills put forward by Central Government have been criticised by the Augustine-led Tobago House of Assembly.

The PNM has accused Augustine and other detractors of throwing out the baby with the bath water in their rejection of the bills, which make prvision for certain law-making powers and an improvement to Tobago's national budgetary allocation from a minimum of 4.03 per cent, as mandated by the Dispute Resolution Commission, to 6.8 per cent.

Augustine has been critical of the contents of the bills, saying it is not a true reflection of what Tobago desires.

On the Pulse 89.5FM's Cup of Tea radio programme on Wednesday, Augustine said he is against a set percentage being used to determine Tobago's fiscal package.

"The Prime Minister is clear in his mind that what they have in Parliament should be seen as ideal by Tobagonians, but we hold a view that most Tobagonians hold the view that there are some non-starters.

"The defining of what is Tobago and the border, including maritime border, must be included in the bill, to ensure equality and equity between the islands."

"The money question and the formula...My good friend (economist) Vanus (James), sometimes my not so good friend, would say we shouldn't have in the bill a percentage but rather a formula for attracting what Tobago gets as its subvention. I have no particular challenge with it being a percentage, save and except that percentages get old very fast. You might think 6.9 is a good per cent and 20 years from now people will say 6.9 ain't make sense in this economy."

Augustine said areas in the fifth schedule of the THA Act must remain areas of responsibility of the THA.

"Right now the current THA Act gives the THA remit for up to six miles. If the current bill is passed and want to do a marine park and protect a certain area of the sea – we have to go to Trinidad to ask permission to do that. If we want to put some wind farms in the Atlantic – we have to ask Trinidad to do that.

"We are not arguing and saying throw away the bill before Parliament. Our argument is, you have something before Parliament, that is a good starting point. Don't throw that away, just put in these things and make some slight changes and we're good."