PM orders AG to probe Tobago Registrar General's Dept issues

THE Prime Minister has rejected claims that Tobago is being taken back in time by the central government.

These claims were made by Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine earlier in the week when he said Tobagonians were having major difficulties accessing services at the Registrar General's Department.

Augustine blamed Cabinet and questioned whether Tobagonians were being punished for voting out the People's National Movement in the December 2021 THA elections.

However, at the post-Cabinet media briefing on November 28, at Whitehall, Port of Spain, Dr Rowley said, “As Prime Minister, I want to state categorically that contrary to what the Chief Secretary has attempted to let the population believe, especially the population of Tobago.

“There has been no deliberate attempt on the part of the government to do any such thing. Upon further investigation on the involvement of information and concerns from the members of parliament in Tobago, I can now satisfy myself that the issue of the operations of the Registrar General's Office in Tobago has once again become an issue that requires the attention of the government.

He continued: “It is not a policy position on the part of the government, it is clearly personalities and interpretations of the law and the government has to intervene to ensure that any imposition of personal preferences…are dealt with in the appropriate way.

“I have today, at the Cabinet, instructed the Attorney General to take hold of this issue again. To speak with the Registrar General again. To get appropriate advice again and to ensure that the interests of the people of Tobago are not falling prey to the nuances of individual behaviour at the personal level. I say no more on this matter at this time."

Similar issues involving difficulties by Tobagonians to access services at the Registrar General's Department were brought to the public domain by Augustine in October 2023. At that time, he asked Rowley and Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, to investigate why Tobagonians had been unable to access the services at the department.