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.
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?
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
