Niall George elected THA Deputy Presiding Officer

NIALL George has been sworn in as the new Deputy Presiding Officer of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

George, assemblyman for Plymouth/Black Rock, was elected at the start of the May 23 plenary sitting in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough.

He replaced assemblyman Joel Sampson, who was elevated to Secretary of the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport in a THA realignment.

In the reshuffle, George was also shifted as assistant secretary in the Division of Settlements, Public Utilities and Rural Development to the Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation.

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine announced the changes to his administration in a release from his office on May 13.

It was widely anticipated that the Division of Community Development’s former secretary Terance Baynes, who was demoted to assistant secretary in the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development, would have been elected Deputy Presiding Officer. The release said, in part, “The team will also support the appointment of Terance Baynes as Deputy Presiding Officer.”

But Baynes apparently declined the offer. He also did not attend the plenary sitting.