Caption: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar with THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine

By Alicia Chamely

CHIEF Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Farley Augustine says the relationship between the THA and the new government has hit the ground running, having already held discussions with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Speaking to reporters at the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony held at the President’s House, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday afternoon Augustine said one the prime minister’s first calls was to him.

He said they spoke at length on the issues facing Tobago and how the smaller concerns can be tackled as quickly as possible.

Augustine said, “I am happy that we can have a relationship that is not acrimonious, not adversarial.”

He said that with two members of the Tobago People’s Party holding seats in Parliament, he believed the cabinet and the executive of the THA would be able to work together and develop a way forward for Tobago.

Augustine said of this new relationship, “We will build out together a Trinidad and Tobago that we can all be proud of.”

He has pledged to work hand-in-hand with the newly sworn-in cabinet and wished them all the best.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar shared Augustine’s sentiments, adding that in their conversations, they had agreed to look over legislation to allow Tobago greater self-governance.

She said, “We sing our national anthem, side by side we stand and that is how we will work together in all fairness and justice.”