AG: PM will meet Chief Secretary

Ramlogan told reporters in Tobago yesterday that Persad-Bissessar’s priority was to meet with those who were “duly elected by the people of Trinidad and Tobago to represent them in the Parliament.”

“I believe that she has indeed done that. The Tobago House of Assembly occupies a unique place in the protocol order and at the appropriate time, the Honourable Prime Minister will meet with the Chief Secretary,” he said.

Ramlogan noted that, as second to the Prime Minister according to the Constitution, he had made it a priority to pay a courtesy call on London on his first official visit to Tobago.

The AG said the People’s Partnership was committed to maintaining an “unswerving and real relationship” with Tobago.

In this regard, he said the reform of the Tobago House of Assembly Act was high on the legislative agenda. The AG said he was awaiting the report on the constitutional reform exercise from committee chairman, Dr John Prince, in order to take a “perfect legislature to Cabinet and move the Trinidad and Tobago relationship forward”.

The issue of Real Property Ordinance and land tenure in Tobago were also discussed during the meeting between Ramlogan and London yesterday morning.

London explained the previous administration had packaged legislation that was supposed to be taken before the House of Representatives with respect to the Real Property Ordinance and land ownership in Tobago. He said he was advised by the new AG to write to him officially on the matter which he will discuss with the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. London said Ramlogan assured that if he was in agreement with the package, it will be treated as a matter of urgency.

“I think that this is a bit of welcomed news for us in Tobago because it means that if this legislation is passed we will be in a position to bring some level of comfort to those persons in Tobago who have been having problems with respect to security of land tenure,” London said.