Chief Sec, lawyers upset: Headache for legal services in Tobago

TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says the island is being taken back in time by central government as he claims Tobagonians are grappling with major difficulties in accessing the services of the Registrar General's Department.

Augustine spoke at a media conference on November 27 where he complained – not for the first time – about the inordinate time it took to access "simple legal services" in Tobago.

In October 2023, Augustine asked the Prime Minister and Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, to probe why Tobagonians had been unable to to access the services of the Registrar General’s department.

Augustine claimed the Deputy Registrar General (Tobago), appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to the Office of the Prime Minster, Central Administrative Services Tobago (CAST), was “arbitrarily locked out” from the online system by a senior public servant from the Registrar General’s department, which falls within the remit of the Attorney General’s office.

However, on October 26, Dr Rowley gave a different account of what transpired, saying the Registrar General's office in Tobago should apologise to the public for the inconvenience caused. In a letter to staff, Registrar General Karen Bridgewater-Taylor said a person who was sent to Trinidad to assist was instead locked out the office in Tobago.

Rowley described the situation as a “public service shortcoming” which reared its head.

But Augustine said since the Deputy Registrar General resigned in March this year, Tobagonians ability to do legal business has been negatively affected again.

Augustine said the Tobago Law Association (TLA) recently highlighted the problem in a November 4 letter to the Law Association of TT. The TLA raised ten issues in the letter, signed by its president Dawn Palckdharry.

Among the problems are: inadequate staff at the Land registry Department in Tobago; access to certified copies of deeds taking months; deeds registered in Tobago not being uploaded promptly to the computerised online Land Registry at the Registrar General Department; IT support to Registrar General office in Tobago seemingly shifted from CAST to Registrar General in Trinidad.

The lawyers also asked why they were not consulted regarding Miscellaneous Provisions Registrar General, Companies, Registration of Business, Registrar General Amendment Act 4 of 2024 which removed the position of Deputy Registrar General from under CAST to the Office of Registrar General based in Port of Spain."

Augustine said it was a shame that lawyers had to write and beg to have these simple but critical services available. He blamed Cabinet and questioned whether Tobagonians were being punished for voting out the People's National Movement in the December 2021 THA elections.

He said the Registrar General's office in Tobago has become "watered down" since the former Deputy Registrar General in Tobago was "frustrated out of the job."

He said the position seemed to have been taken away from Tobago "because somehow, somebody in Central Government and Trinidad felt they didn’t have enough power over Tobago."

He said this was another means of re-colonising Tobago.

With discussions on autonomy on the front burner, Augustine said there were many people offering their opinions on the topic who were silent while their legal services were being taken away.

Highlighting the problem, Augustine said a 79-year-old man from his electoral district, Parlatuvier/L’anse Fourmi/Speyside, died recently and his family was left frustrated trying to fix a mistake in his death certificate.

"When the family went to Bacolet to register the death, an error was made by the office in Bacolet. By the time the death certificate was printed, it showed that the gentleman who died at 79, was one month old."

Augustine said the family was given two options: apply in Tobago to have it changed, which would take about six weeks, or go to Trinidad and get it fixed within a day.

"Who keeping their dead for six weeks? That is not our culture.

"But the second option is you can jump on a plane and go Port of Spain or San Fernando and get it fixed immediately.

"I am asking, are Tobagonians lesser-than as citizens?"

He said, "We move from a place where you could get a birth paper printed or replaced in a day, to a place where you have to wait weeks. And the answer to every question is: contact Trinidad. What they wanted was to frustrate the former deputy general."

He said the National Insurance Board (NIB) office in Tobago is also affected.

"All the contractors are complaining. They can't get simple clearance certificates done in a timely manner. It feels as if Tobago was taken back in time by a central government who just does not care whether you could get your services or not."

He said he wanted to make it clear that the THA is not responsible for the delays being experienced by many Tobagonians.

"We cannot have access to quality an efficient services at the Registrar General office because they sat in Cabinet, felt it wise to remove the position from CAST Tobago, carry it back to Trinidad and take away authority, take away privileges and your opportunity to have access to prompt and efficient service."

Webster-Roy: I've voiced my concerns

Replying to questions from Newsday sent on WhatsApp on November 27, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy, who is also Tobago East MP, said she is aware of the issue.

Asked if she had concerns, Webster-Roy said, "I have consistently voiced my concerns."

She told Newsday to contact the Registrar General or Attorney General, saying the department was transferred from the OPM CAST to the AG's Office.

Newsday called Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe who was in a meeting and more so said she would need to consult Attorney General Reginald Armour plus Webster-Roy.

Newsday called back later as agreed but was unable to get in touch with her.

Newsday sent a WhatApp message to Attorney General Reginald Armour but up to press time had received no reply. Calls to former chief secretary Ancil Dennis, now a government senator, went unanswered.
(With reporting by Sean Douglas)