09 July

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Tobago Business Chamber calls for greater fiscal accountability from THA

in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Tobago Business Chamber calls for greater fiscal accountability from THA THE Tobago Business Chamber is calling for greater fiscal responsibility and accountability from the THA. “The Tobago Business Chamber says that while we understand the need for greater capital investment in Tobago and greater fiscal injection into Tobago, we are also saying with that must come greater financial responsibility and accountability. We have not yet seen the level of accountability that we would like to see from the THA,” the chamber’s chairman Martin George said on Tuesday in a WhatsApp voice note. He was responding to the Farley Augustine administration’s budget presentation on...

03 July

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Multi-million $$ Tobago water park – No CEC, WASA permit yet

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Tobago water park Less than a month after the sod-turning ceremony for Tobago’s first theme-based park, Synergy Water Park (SWP), the company is yet to apply for a water extraction/well drilling permit or a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) for the multi-million-dollar project at Friendship Estate. Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales and managing director of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Hayden Romano both confirmed to Guardian Media that they have not yet received any applications from the developer for the proposed project. On June 9, the sod for SWP was turned at Friendship Estate by SWP representative and former national cyclist Michael Phillips,...

22 June

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PNM senator: Audio recording no nine-day wonder

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

PNM senator: Audio recording no nine-day wonder PNM SENATOR Laurence Hislop has said the controversial audio recording of two THA officials allegedly discussing using state funds to hire people to carry out a social media propaganda campaign will not be a “nine-day wonder.” Chief Secretary Farley Augustine addressed the issue last Friday, in a pre-recorded public briefing, alleging a contractor was responsible for the audio leak. He also alleged that weeks before, the contractor had threatened to release the recording if the THA did not pay the money it owed to his company. On the Minority Report on Tuesday night, Hislop said the issue...

20 June

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Tobago chamber head: Farley’s public briefing opened Pandora’s box

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Farley's public briefing - Tobago chamber head: Farley's public briefing opened Pandora's box THE Tobago Business Chamber believes THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine’s pre-recorded public briefing on Friday has opened a Pandora’s Box. “The public briefing from Farley Augustine ranged from the absurd to the bizarre to the theatre of the macabre with unspecified allegations against individuals, allegations of victimisation, of trying to strong arm him, of trying to blackmail him and it just went on and on in a wide-ranging, rambling diatribe, which really ended up raising more questions than answers and actually opened a Pandora’s Box of other issues,” chamber...

20 June

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Probe into leaked audio, the identity of speakers, and possible breach of law…

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

ACP to probe leaked audio Police team looks into the identity of speakers, possible breach of law… Assistant Commissioner of Police Wendell Lucas has been appointed to investigate a leaked audio recording allegedly involving Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and another member. This was confirmed yesterday by Deputy Commissioner of Police Curt Simon while speaking with the Express. Simon indicated that Lucas, who is the head of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) White Collar Crime Division, was tasked with investigating the recording on Wednesday—the same day that THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris and political leader of the...

14 June

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Anti-corruption officers head to Tobago – COPS PROBE THA VOICE NOTE

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Anti-corruption officers head to Tobago WHILE Tobago awaits a response from Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine on a leaked voice recording said to be of two THA officials discussing the use of public funds to hire people to carry out a political propaganda campaign, officers of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau (ACIB) and Fraud Squad are probing the matter. Despite the uproar since the recording's release in May, Augustine has remained silent on the matter. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police for Intelligence and Investigations Curt Simon confirmed to Newsday on Tuesday that police are looking into the recording. He said, "My...

09 June

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Cabo Star goes on dry dock

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Cabo Star goes on dry dock The Tobago sea bridge’s Cabo Star cargo vessel went into scheduled dry docking yesterday after a large last minute rush by businesspeople to send trucks to the sister isle in recent days. This, since no alternative cargo vessel will be in place during the vessel’s dry docking. Port Authority CEO Vilma Lewis-Cockburn spoke about the situation around 4 pm yesterday, just as the Cabo Star left Port- of-Spain to head for the Caridoc facility in Chaguaramas. It will undergo scheduled dry docking scrutiny for the next 10 days until September 30. Lewis-Cockburn said, “Last month, we advised...

09 June

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Cabo Star on drydock for 2 weeks – Tobago chamber calls for back-up cargo vessel

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

Cabo Star on drydock for 2 weeks – Tobago chamber calls for back-up cargo vessel President of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George is calling for a back-up vessel to service the inter-island seabridge whenever the MV Cabo Star —the lone cargo vessel servicing Tobago – is out of commission. On Monday, the MV Cabo Star was taken out of service for two weeks for planned maintenance works. In an advisory, the TT Inter-Island Transportation Company Ltd notified those who regularly use the cargo service that the vessel will undergo maintenance between June 5-16. It is expected to resume normal operations on June...

07 June

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Economist: THA to buy X-ray machine for Scarborough port

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber, Uncategorized

X-ray machine for Scarborough port ECONOMIST Anslem Richards says the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is looking to invest in an X-ray machine for the Scarborough Port, in an attempt to prevent the flow of illegal guns into the island. On Monday, Tobago recorded its seventh gun-related murder for the year so far with the killing of Denson Turner. Eyewitnesses said Turner was in a garage at a house in Les Coteaux shortly after 5pm when two men approached him and started shooting. He died on the spot. Earlier that day, gunmen also robbed a jewellery store at Port Mall, Scarborough. Richards said he has...

05 June

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Tobago Chamber: THA must come clean on voice note

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in Newspaper Articles, Tobago Business Chamber

THE Tobago Business Chamber has joined the chorus of voices calling on the THA to clear the air on the now infamous voice note which has gone viral on social media. In an audio clip, two people, believed to be THA officials, were heard discussing using state funds to hire people for public relations and propaganda. Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has not yet responded to the voice note, despite mounting calls for him to do so. In a WhatsApp voice note on Thursday, the chamber’s chairman Martin George said the issue was serious. “These are, of course, very serious, weighty and troubling matters and...