Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC has renewed her pledge to work closely with the newly sworn-in Tobago House of Assembly to achieve what Tobago requires.
Following the Tobago House of Assembly’s Inauguration Ceremony on Thursday, the Assembly members and Councillors took to James Park, where they greeted supporters. A few minutes later, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar made her way through the crowd, where she congratulated the Tobago People’s Party on their election win.
“The last time I was here, I was across there making my little speech. At the end of the speech I said, ‘I pray that the anchor holds.’ Those were my last words, and the anchor did hold.”
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar stressed that the Central Government will begin pushing forward in achieving autonomy for Tobago. She thanked Chief Secretary Farley Augustine for his direction and guidance in this matter.
“That Bill to give you greater autonomy, we begin there. We begin there on Friday to give you greater autonomy. We will cooperate with you. We will hear more about the Bill that expands the THA, but that could only have happened because you gave Farley and his team all seats.”
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine described Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s joining of his team at James Park as a symbolic moment.
“I can’t recall if a Prime Minister has ever joined a Chief Secretary at James Park. This is our people’s party. This is our Woodford Square, and more than that, Madam Prime Minister, allow me to say, while I understand yellow is the code in Trinidad, blue is the code in Tobago.”