Chief Secretary promises faster delivery of projects

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has promised there will be an expedited pace in the delivery of projects in Tobago during this first quarter.

“We have a lot of things to deliver,” he told reporters on Friday after the unveiling of the Indoor Sports Floor at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex.

“At the end of the first year in office, I did say quite clearly to everyone that I felt that we did good. But I felt that we had a lot better to do and I wanted the secretaries to spend their time digging in their heels and doing more work, delivering more wins like this (Sports Floor). That is going to be our focus.

“And you will see some expedited deliveries during this first quarter. The point is we are focused on getting Tobago’s people’s business done and treating with the delivery of the people’s mandate.”

Augustine said a date for the reshuffle within his administration will be announced soon.

“It is not just about a reshuffle. It is about restructuring of the governance for greater delivery and also to allow for a lot more checks and balances in the system.”

He also responded to Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke’s call for a meeting to being peace and healing within the party.

Augustine and other members of the THA executive resigned from the PDP on December 4, 2022, almost a year after their resounding 14-1victory over the People’s National Movement in the December 6, 2021, THA election. They have declared themselves independents.

In a recent radio interview, Duke urged Augustine and the other executive members to rejoin the PDP in the interest of Tobagonians.

On that occasion, he said he was certain Augustine’s team would not win a seat in the next THA election if he decides to form his own party.

Augustine said on Friday, he finally saw Duke’s interview.

“Having seen it, that cannot be seen as any serious starter to anything.”

Augustine said if Duke wishes, he could write to him.

“He could, in a formal way, engage but it is clear from the other members that we have more or less moved on. We are focused on Tobago’s governance. We are not interested in the political games. We not interested in the back and forth.”

On the recent birth of his daughter, Augustine said he and his wife are yet to name the child.

“We have some options now. Prior to the birth, I kept saying to my wife that we have time to decide on a name. And the baby just came out of nowhere.”

He expects they will decide on a name by the end of the month.

“We are not in a rush. Right now, the focus is to ensure she gets through the first month well and to ensure that her growth is in tune with normal rates and that she is healthy because the preemies (premature babies) are much more susceptible to certain health conditions. So we are working on all of those things."