Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London has criticised Attorney General Anand Ramlogan for his vow to come after the THA over what he said are false claims of corruption involving the Scarborough Hospital.
Speaking with the media at Balisier House, Port of Spain yesterday, London said he saw Ramlogan's statement in a newspaper report and was quite disappointed and surprised that somebody of that stature would make such a public statement that is based on a false premise.
"How could you make a statement like that and make such a strong statement accusing the THA of corruption over an area which the THA does not have any control. If the AG had taken the time out to do his homework, which he should do as a public officer, he would have known that the Scarborough Regional Hospital is and always has been a Central Government project because the funding initially came from the World Bank and that project has always been under the Ministry of Health and has never been a project under the THA."
London said when he saw the allegation, he questioned Ramlogan's motives for making such a statement because he should know that the project does not come under the remit of the THA.
He said this signals to him that the AG is not about doing his job, but "about spite and malice and political expediency".
"Because how can you make a mistake like that actually accusing the THA over corruption in an area over which the THA does not have any control and if anything gives us an insight into the character and personality and agenda of the AG it is that. I am hoping that the people of Tobago understand what we are dealing with.
"This one act signals that his concern is not about the THA, not about the welfare of the people of Tobago, but how he can manipulate the information to put people in a negative light," London said.
Addressing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissesar's call for him to call the THA election, London said: "I think all of us know that the THA election is due in 2013 and based on the first statement made by the PM it seems to be quite obvious that the PM did not take time to read the THA Act and understand the implications of the THA Act.
"Because the PM gives the impression that she is going to set the date for the election, once we dissolve the House, but the Act is very clear. Once we dissolve the House, according to the Act after the dissolution of the House you must call the election no less than two months and no more than three months after the dissolution."
London said the election is called by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary and what has happened in the last three times elections were held under the 1996 THA Act, the Chief Secretary always sets the date.
"The Chief Secretary indicates that to the President and then the President passes it on to the Prime Minister and invariably the date set by the Chief Secretary is the date that is normally accepted.
"I am hoping that the Prime Minister does not wish to change that particular tradition," he said.
London also pointed out that there are only two ways that the House can be dissolved–by itself by a majority motion carried, brought by the Chief Secretary, or is automatically dissolved four years after the start of the Assembly.
"So the Assembly can be dissolved sometime in January, either the 28th or the 29th, and then when that happens the whole thing is triggered.
"I am hoping that the Prime Minister will take the time to read the THA Act and understand the implications and not make statements that display a certain amount of arrogance, insensitivity or ignorance about the THA Act," London added.
reproduced from Trinidad Express
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