CHIEF SECRETARY Farley Augustine said there was absolutely "no will nor intent" by the government to pass the Constitution Amendment (Tobago Self-Government) Bill in the Lower House of Parliament, on December 9.
Augustine made the comment during a media conference on December 9, after the autonomy bill failed to get a special majority – three-fourths – to pass in the House of Representatives. Twenty-one government members voted for the bill and 16 opposition members voted against.
The bill required at least 31 of the 41 members to vote in favour.
Minutes before the sitting, Augustine sent the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader a list of proposed amendments to the autonomy bills – the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and its companion legislation, the Tobago Island Government Bill.
The latter was passed by a vote of 20-10, but will not be able to effect the change without the weightier Constitution (Amendment) Bill.
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Augustine said, "Regrettably, the bills as carried before Parliament this morning did not quite pan out to the expectation of the average Tobagonian."It seems deliberate that Central Government, from time to time, will never ever get this right."
Asked why it took him so long to send the amendments to Dr Rowley and Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Augustine said he and his legal team worked throughout the weekend preparing the documents. He said they stayed up past 2 am on occasions.
He noted that it was only on December 5 that they were notified the autonomy bills were on the order paper for debate.
Although noting that many of the things Tobagonians were asking for were not new, he said the date of the debate should have been announced months ago.
"When we look at these bills, we determined we should have some amendments and go before the House. I have consistently said, let's not start the process again; let's amend what was proposed and come to some middle ground about what Tobagonians want and what Central Government wants to give...."
He said he was upset to see discussions in the Lower House about changing the title of chief secretary to premier.
"We really went to the Parliament today to pass these important bills and the only amendments the government was willing to consider was whether to call the head of the executive in Tobago chief secretary or premier? Really?"
He described the title as inconsequential and said there were many more important matters to deliberate.
"Of all the things Tobagonians have said they wanted out of these bills, that was what you felt was the most important? Nothing at all really substantial on this matter of defining and delineating what is Tobago?
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Augustine said history had shown Tobagonians needed to stand against the PNM to get autonomy.
He said it was disappointing that the Prime Minister was a Tobagonian and there were two Tobago MPs in Cabinet, yet Tobago could not get what it wanted.
"Those who are supposed to be for us, supposed to articulate measures that are beneficial to the people of Tobago, are the most anti-Tobagonian bunch of people.
"When yuh own dog bite yuh, is worse than when yuh neighbour dog bite yuh...
"Yuh could imagine how Tobagonians feel disappointed today."
He said he would continue the fight for autonomy so the next generation would not have to do so.
He said more consultation with people on the ground was required.
Augustine's suggested amendments
Among the amendments proposed by Augustine is a definition of the maritime jurisdiction for Tobago.
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"When we look at the bills, some things are just untenable...
"THA Act 40 of 1996 gives us up to six miles of jurisdiction for our administrative control – not legislative, because we can't pass laws....
"In the current bills, if they were passed as they were, we would get zero (miles). All our jurisdiction would be is the 116 square miles of land, and even in that there are some areas that need to be clearer."
He said Tobago's jurisdiction over the Buccoo Marine Park, jetties and other important spaces would be lost and the THA would have to "go down to Trinidad and beg on our knees for their permission."
He said, "Moving from Act 40 with six miles to a new THA with none – that cannot be real, that cannot be right."
Augustine said clause eight of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, although providing law-making power, is listed in a schedule attached to the Tobago Island Government Bill (TIG).
"The people of Tobago are of the view that these matters should be entrenched in the Constitution. Placing them in the TIG has the effect of making the laws passed by the TIG subordinate to national laws, consequently making them inferior and not of equal status."
He also took umbrage with the TIG Bill, saying it did not reflect the wishes of Tobagonians."Tobagonians were not consulted in any meaningful manner of the provisions and form of government prescribed in the TIG Bill 2021."
He called for it to be withdrawn as it infringes on Tobagonians' right to self-determination.
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He said a governance structure would be debated and agreed upon in the Assembly Legislature.
Augustine also wants the composition of the proposed Fiscal Review Commission to be changed, with the Minister of Finance removed as its chair.
He said the President should appoint an independent chair, with its members comprising two members of the Executive Council and two from Cabinet. The current bill proposes a five-member committee with two cabinet members and two from the executive council, among with the chair.
Augustine also called for the establishment of a Tobago Fund "where all revenue collected in Tobago on behalf of the Government and payable thereto in respect of activities undertaken or discharged in Tobago shall be paid into the Tobago Fund."
In addition, "any company, financial institution or a person operating a business in Tobago shall pay in Tobago all taxes, fees, duties, levies and other imposts in respect of its operations in Tobago."
The proposal adds that "where in any financial year, monies paid into the Tobago Fund in accordance with section 31 exceed the quantum appropriated by Parliament to the Tobago Fund for that year, the Tobago Island Government shall retain 50 per cent or such larger portion as the minister with responsibility for finance may by order specify in respect of that year, of such excess to be applied towards such projects as it considers fit."
In a post on Facebook on December 9, after the bill failed to pass, Augustine said, "Nothing is worse than when your relative who is in the seat of power, is nothing but a house slave that ignores the real dreams and aspirations of those he left behind in the field in Tobago." He concluded his comments with the hashtags: #HouseSlaveMentality #WickedPM.
