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Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley (Left) and THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine (CMC file photo)
CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley said Wednesday that he would “immediately resign forthwith” if it is proven that he misled Parliament regarding the appointment of a senior public servant to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).
Rowley in a statement to Parliament said that he had taken seriously “the slander and insinuations of the irresponsible Chief Secretary,” Farley Chavez Augustine, he is laying in the Parliament “as a Paper, a comprehensive dossier of all the relevant correspondence in support of what I have said here today.
“I go further. If it can be truthfully shown by any of the authorities that I have mentioned or impacted here today, that I have misled this House I will immediately resign forthwith and hand over the reins to another, in the interest of peace, good order and progress of the people whom I have continued to serve to the best of my ability,” Rowley said.
Augustine has accused the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) of carrying out a “calculated disinformation campaign,” in blaming the THA for the absence of a chief administrator after the holder of the office, Ethlyn John, retired on May 17 this year.
Augustine made it clear the THA would not accept blame for the absence of a chief administrator, telling members of the legislature last week,” today, I will uncloak the disinformation campaign against the THA and the people of Tobago, led by the Prime Minister”.
He said that for over a month, he has been continually trying to have the post filled.
“Today, we are still without a chief administrator,” he said, noting that the THA Act stipulates that a chief administrator is appointed by the Public Service Commission (PSC) after consultation with the Prime Minister and Chief Secretary.”
He said on March 10, 2022, he wrote to the prime minister indicating “my displeasure with the fact that a chief administrator was appointed without precisely following the dictates of the law.”
But in his statement, Rowley reminded legislators that the THA has its autonomy under the Act with all its rights and responsibilities and there are also the residual responsibilities of the Central Government administered under Central Administrative Services, Tobago (CAST).
“Both of these arms of administration have as their head a Chief Administrator (THA) and Permanent Secretary (CAST) respectively. These are both public servants under the Act and jurisdiction of the independent Public Service Commission.”
Rowley said that it also goes without saying that for peace, good order and progress to prevail in Tobago and also in Trinidad and Tobago, “it is absolutely essential for there to be respect for each other and a good working relationship between all officers and agencies of state charged with these responsibilities.
“It is in recognition of this imperative that I, as Prime Minister, have always gone out of my way to harbor and foster a good working relationship with my colleagues and associates in Tobago and between the Central Government and the Tobago House of Assembly.”
Rowley said in an address to the THA last Thursday, “the Chief Secretary in a fit of, hopefully genuine misunderstanding, made some very serious allegations against the Prime Minister and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.
“It is the view of the Cabinet that such accusations and misinterpretations, if left unattended in the public mind and domain could grossly mislead the citizenry, not only in Tobago but across the nation,with grave consequences leading to the deterioration of the relationship between the people of Tobago and the rest of the nation.”
He said it is common knowledge that until a designated officer is identified by the PSC for appointment to the post of Chief Administrator, whether substantive or acting, there is no role for the Prime Minister in these public service matters of ranking and selection.
“A proper interpretation of the law would show that in pursuance of an appointment to be made the Prime Minister’s role only comes into being when the Public Service Commission identifies a designated officer and seeks to confirm from the Prime Minister whether he has an objection to the selection put forward by the Commission.”
Rowley used his statement to outline the ongoing correspondence between himself and Augustine as well as the procedure to be used in selecting the senior public officer to the THA.
“The fact is that the first time the Prime Minister had anything to respond to was when a letter dated June 21, 2023 was issued, to make an appointment to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Ms. John on May 17th,” Rowley told Parliament.
“In my capacity as Prime Minister I received on June 22nd, 2023, from the Public Service Commission, correspondence dated June 21st advancing an officer to fill the vacancy of Chief Administrator. It should be noted that this is the first letter that I have received from the Public Service Commission advising of the vacancy and its intention to fill it,” he said, adding that having had prior agreement with the Chief Secretary on the person nominated “I replied on June 23rd clearing the way for the Commission to finally appoint an acting Chief Administrator for the THA”.
