PNM Tobago leader: Trevor James 'pretending to hate Trinidad'

PNM Tobago Council leader Ancil Dennis said THA Infrastructure Secretary Trevor James "only pretends not to like Trinidad."

At a PNM meeting on September 15 at the Belle Garden Multi-Purpose Facility, Dennis said James has made several comments which could damage Tobago's image.

James has claimed politicians in Trinidad are conspiring and "weaponising" state institutions such as the police, licensing officers and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to attack THA officials and hinder the administration.

On September 5, licensing officers and police visited James's home in Signal Hill and seized his cellphone and searched his van. The warrant said the search was related to an investigation into alleged misbehaviour in public office.

James has pushed for autonomy, saying the dynamics of the relationship between Trinidad and Tobago must change.

However, Dennis said James is only blaming the PNM after acting recklessly in office.

He said James must look in the mirror when claiming there is a threat to democracy. He said many property owners have seen their rights trampled during projects under James' division. He said the EMA has also been ignored repeatedly.

"This is very dangerous, eh. Can you imagine investors looking on at this, wishing to invest in Tobago? And the reality is that the government in Tobago, as they like to call themselves, does not respect property rights – one of the most basic and fundamental rights in any serious democracy."

He said James continues to bad-talk Trinidad in public, but is secretly very friendly with contractors in South Trinidad.

"The embattled Trevor James likes to preach a gospel of division," he told supporters.

"It is not a gospel of division, it's a gospel of desperation. The secretary is not really interested in dividing TT. I want to tell you that that secretary loves Trinidad, and he loves particularly South Trinidad. I can tell you every single major contract was given to a company from South Trinidad.
"The secretary doesn't necessarily hate Trinidad; they will pretend to hate Trinidad and pretend to preach this gospel of division in public to attempt to fool their supporters, but in private, behind the scenes, when you, the people of Tobago, aren't looking, they are chummy."

He said the rise in crime in Tobago is linked to the current administration's decision to use Trinidad contractors instead of local ones.

"Since Tobago vote out the PNM, we have gotten thin and malnourished and the economy is hard. The resources that would normally circulate in Tobago are now circulating in South Trinidad and Central Trinidad.

"Meanwhile, our Tobago businesses – small and medium and large – suffering, closing down. Some of them. all they could get is a lil school-repair programme and even that is about two years before they could get paid.

"And we wondering why things so hard, why some of our youngsters are looking to gangs and other unfortunate alternatives."

He said if the PNM were in power, the money would have trickled down into the pockets of many Tobagonians.