[UPDATED] Farley denies blaming mothers alone for Tobago crime

CHIEF SECRETARY Farley Augustine has denied blaming mothers for the crime situation in Tobago.

During a speech at Tobago's Divali celebrations at Gulf City Mall, Lowlands, on October 19, Augustine said darkness, particularly crime, was flourishing on the island because of the absence of light.

He said, "Mothers are supporting the criminal activities of their sons. They are enjoying the fruits of criminal activities."

He said mothers are not holding their sons accountable for their behaviour, and letting illegal activities continue on the island.

He said in the past, parents would flog you for bringing home a pencil that did not belong to you. Augustine did not mention fathers specifically in his speech.

The island has registered an unprecedented 25 murders for 2024 following a surge in gun violence.

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris and political leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Watson Duke called Augustine's comments "out of time" and "a nasty, direct attack" on mothers.

In a Facebook live on October 21, Augustine said people were misconstruing his message. He said the public was "resistant to taking responsibility."

He said fathers and other members of the family have a role, too, as well as the various religious institutions.

"It is a speech about all of us taking responsibility," he said.

At a press conference on October 21, Duke said tears came to his eyes when he learnt of the comments.

He said the "nasty and direct attack" came on the heels of some mothers working at CEPEP being told they would be paid late by the THA.

"I'm not normally moved easily, but when I recognised that someone who I had confidence in to lead Tobago is now attacking the foundations of our civilisation, I said, 'My Lord, my Lord, my Lord, have mercy on me. What have I unleashed? Something has to be wrong with the Chief Secretary.'"

He said the last seven days were difficult for him as the anniversary of his mother's death is in October.

Incorrectly saying Augustine was wearing a sari before being informed by an audience member that it was a kurta, Duke said Augustine "did not even look good" while attacking Tobago mothers.

"I want to know who dressed him, but that's not the issue," he said.

He continued, "He went up there, and he began to attack Tobago mothers...attack them as if he did not come from mother..."

He questioned whether Augustine has any evidence to back up his claim, and if he does, why has he not reported it to the police.

"How could you, being a leader, attack women like that?"

Duke said last week, several women who are CEPEP workers were not paid on time by the Division of Community Development. However, they were later told they would be paid by October 22, one week after they were supposed to be paid. He added that Tobago's contingency fund could have been used to pay them.

"Mothers are struggling to put food on the table to look after their children, and these Judases, these betrayers of Tobago refused to pay them."

Duke demanded that Augustine resign.

"First, you don't pay them, then you tell them late...(that) you will pay them on Tuesday. And on the very same day that message go out, you put on ugly clothing (with) poor colours...coming to tell Tobago mothers they are irresponsible?

"I don't know of any mother in Roxborough, Speyside, Charlotteville, Crown Point, Castara, Moriah, Pembroke, Lambeau, that raise criminal children or enjoying the fruits of criminal activity."

Asked for a comment on the issue, Morris told Newsday he thinks Augustine "is fast and out of place to be attacking mothers when his administration has been the source of hardship on the people of Tobago.

"It appears to me the Chief Secretary has an issue with women because it is this Chief Secretary that has fired over 100 women in the THA, across departments which include the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, CEPEP, Community Partnership Unit in the Office of the Chief Secretary and the many others whose contracts weren’t renewed."

Founder of Tobago NGO Women of Substance Onika Mars told Newsday she found Augustine's comments to be reckless and irresponsible and called for him to apologise.

"Women carry the burden a lot of times and the Chief Secetary is aware of that. There are a lot of single mothers and because of society and its structure, a lot of women are forced to do several jobs. How could he lay blame on the mothers?"

She questioned why the same energy was not used to hold men accountable for their own actions.

"It's not like he said parents. How could you say mother?

"It is totally incorrect, irresponsible and I call on him to retract his statement and apologise."

Noting that October is domestic violence awareness month, she asked what was Augustine's reasons for saying that.

"What are you saying to the men of Tobago by making that irresponsible statement as the Chief Secretary who is a husband and a father?

"There are fathers missing from the home. Why didn't he tell fathers they have a responsibility and a duty to stand up in the home as fathers and ensure your children walk the straight and narrow path? A woman did not bring a child into this world on her own."

Calls and messages to Augustine went unanswered on October 21.

Newsday also tried to contact Minister in the Ministry of Gender Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy but she did not respond to calls or messages.

This story was originally published with the title "Duke slams Chief Secretary's 'nasty attack' on Tobago mothers" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

LEADER of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Watson Duke has called on his former colleague Chief Secretary Farley Augustine to apologise and resign following comments he made about Tobago mothers.

Duke said the "nasty and direct attack" came on the heels of some mothers working at CEPEP being told they would be paid late by the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

Another media house reported on October 21 that Augustine had "blamed mothers" for the rise in criminal activities in Tobago. The island has registered an unprecedented 25 murders for 2024 following a surge in gun violence.

Speaking at the Tobago Hindu Society's Divali celebrations on October 19, Augustine was reported as saying mothers "are not holding their sons accountable," and letting illegal activities continue on the island. He said mothers are "enjoying the fruits of criminal activities."

At a press conference on October 21, Duke said tears came to his eyes when he learnt of the comments.

"I'm not normally moved easily, but when I recognised that someone who I had confidence in to lead Tobago is now attacking the foundations of our civilisation, I said, 'My Lord, my Lord, my Lord, have mercy on me. What have I unleashed? Something has to be wrong with the Chief Secretary.'"

Incorrectly saying Augustine was wearing a sari before being informed by an audience member that it was a kurta, Duke said Augustine "did not even look good" while attacking Tobago mothers.

"I want to know who dressed him, but that's not the issue," he said.

He continued, "He went up there, and he began to attack Tobago mothers...attack them as if he did not come from mother..."

He questioned whether Augustine has any evidence to back up his claim, and if he does, why has he not reported it to the police.

"How could you, being a leader, attack women like that?"

Duke said last week, several women who are CEPEP workers were not paid on time by the Division of Community Development. However, they were later told they would be paid by October 22, one week after they were supposed to be paid.

"Mothers are struggling to put food on the table to look after their children, and these Judases, these betrayers of Tobago refused to pay them."

Duke demanded that Augustine resign.

"First, you don't pay them, then you tell them late...(that) you will pay them on Tuesday. And on the very same day that message go out, you put on ugly clothing (with) poor colours...coming to tell Tobago mothers they are irresponsible?

"I don't know of any mother in Roxborough, Speyside, Charlotteville, Crown Point, Castara, Moriah, Pembroke, Lambeau, that raise criminal children or enjoying the fruits of criminal activity."