Kamla holds talks with London today

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and chief secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Orville London will meet today for the second time this year at the Prime Minister’s office in Parliament at 3 pm. High on the agenda for discussion is the process for the granting of internal self-governance to Tobago.

London had written to the Prime Minister requesting a meeting to discuss the issue and in her response she noted that many of the items outlined in his proposed agenda needed to be addressed immediately. Apart from the issue of self-governance for Tobago, the other items he wanted to discuss include:
• an update on the review of the relationship between ministers of Government and secretaries in the assembly
• funding for the housing programme in Tobago
• THA representation on relevant national boards and committees
• quarterly “non-crisis” meetings between the Prime Minister and himself
• central government collaboration in the revitalisation of Tobago’s economy.

At their last meeting on February 22, London had recommended a process that he thought would bring some kind of closure to the issue of self-governance. Steps have already been taken to have THA representation on the boards of the Housing Development Corporation and the Tourism Development Company, while discussions on the revitalisation of Tobago’s economy move a step further with a meeting of representatives of the THA, the business sector and ministers at the Magdalena Grand Resort on Sunday.

Guardian