June 24, 2010 – newsday.co.tt
On Monday THA Finance Secretary Dr Anselm London as much as challenged TT’s Finance Minister Winston Dookeran to a financial duel.
In his 2010-2011 Budget presentation, Dr London dismissed Dookeran’s concerns about the state of the TT treasury as rhetoric, almost alleging the former central bank governor’s comments were aimed solely at keeping Tobago back.
London demanded Tobago be given regardless, the $3.5 billion he said the PNM THA needs to run Tobago’s affairs.
Dr London’s remarks were not the first salvo from Scarborough of late. Since May 24, since the TOP took the two Tobago seats from the PNM, the PNM in the THA has been making noises about the risks to the integrity of Tobago and to the THA Act of 1996, legislation coincidentally laid by a UNC/NAR Government. Now the issue is money.
Not a shot fired by the new Central Government yet the THA has begun complaining about the future of Tobago, more threatened it is alleging by a PP central administration than a PNM one, which it would seem gave it what it wanted. Dr London’s presentation on Monday read more like a political stump speech than a fiscal plan for the sister isle.
Full Article : newsday.co.tt
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THA Must Watch its Signals
Express Editorial
June 23, 2010 – trinidadexpress.com
On May 24, a page turned on business as usual and, both in Trinidad and in Tobago, content for a new chapter has only just begun to be composed. For most of a decade, a cosy entente had marked relations between a PNM administration in Port of Spain and a PNM administration of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).
With the emergence of the People’s Partnership into the central government, the charting of a new basis for coexistence with the still-PNM THA should be on the agenda of officialdom on both islands. The THA cannot wish away the fact that, in the national elections, the two Tobago constituencies voted solidly for the People’s Partnership. Nor can the Kamla Persad-Bissessar Government presume to have derived any mandate to reverse the gains for Tobago self-rule that the THA represents.
Under the Patrick Manning administration, ‘Tobago Affairs’ had been a portfolio item in the Office of the Prime Minister. The new Government has upgraded that single item into a separate Ministry of Tobago Development, with its exclusive Minister in Tobago East MP, Vernella Eula Alleyne-Toppin.
On behalf of Tobago, however, the THA is hardly grateful. On Monday, THA Finance Secretary Anslem London, departing from discourse on budget matters, said: ‘We view with suspicion and concern the Ministry of Tobago Development.’
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com
Ashworth Jack assures, THA’s authority will not be undermined
Minority Leader in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and political leader of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), Ashworth Jack, yesterday slammed Finance Secretary, Dr Anslem London, for his “acrimonious and unfriendly political” stance against the newly-installed People’s Partnership Government in his budget presentation on Monday.
No assurance for Tobago
FINANCE MINISTER Winston Dookeran was unable yesterday to assure Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Finance Secretary, Dr Anselm London, that Government will approve a $3.5 billion budget which the THA is asking for to run Tobago’s affairs in the new financial year.
So Doctor London,you and cousin Ashwort Jack are now realizing what most across the globe , and throughout history ,recognized a long time ago-namely ” you cannot be half pregnant.”
It is time to end this stupid charade that has existed for so long under the PNM , and you know for sure would continue under this clueless regime.
The number one priority for these jokers is to build Hindu Temple on scarce prime lands in Signall Hill of course, but politically resurrected Dookee, will on the directive of ‘a tamer Panday,’his boss, deny you and the THA, what is rightfully yours, the ability to develop ,and coexist, as an equal partner in this seemingly useless Twin-island relationship.Do not be surprise therefore when a few of the phony pit bulls ,choose to claim that you are a trying to pick a fight with this so call progressive crew, hell bent on one agenda-looking out for the tribe, and rolling back any, and every positive gains that were garnered in this country since 1962.
Your call!
Seems like our dailies after leading the charge for a change in government (and got it) now want us to be compliant to the whims and fancies of those who now governs us. Prior to this landeslide they preached democracy but now it seems that there is a lack of patience with those who choose not to toe the line. I liked it better when we were a democracy. I hear threats coming from every ministry about percieved corruption and the administration’s intent to go after those who stole or benefitted from the nations purse but we are yet to hear the evidence! Do we know wherewe are heading?
Ashworth Jack slams ‘unfriendly’ THA budget
Tobago House of Assembly Minority Leader Ashworth Jack yesterday described the Assembly’s budget proposal as ‘unfriendly and acrimonious’.
Taking up where Hart left off
The new People’s Partnership Government cannot yet be said to have fallen asleep at the wheel, but wake-up calls made in its direction deserve timely notice. Establishment of the Ministry for Tobago Development triggered from Tobago House of Assembly Finance Secretary Anslem London an angry shot across the bow. The threatening noises by this THA leader should appropriately warn the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration against taking for granted Tobago’s present entitlements to autonomy and its aspirations for more.
Not one penny should be given to the THA–We now have a Ministry of Tobago Development & they should be controlling all funds to develop Tobago!!London still is living in dreamland–PNM lost!!Period!!No more pilfering of our Treasury for his & his cohorts pockets!!the gravy train is no more~~~time to end with bullying like rowley!!we now have a transparent & fair government in place–only in power over 1 month!!
AG: PM will meet Chief Secretary
Attorney General (AG) Anand Ramlogan has said there has been no breach of diplomatic protocol made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s inability to meet with THA Chief Secretary Orville London since her election into office on May 24.