Why must bill go back?

Orville London was responding to calls from Newsday Tobago on claims made by Leader of the Tobago Platform of the Truth (TPT) Hochoy Charles which said the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2016 from the THA sent for Cabinet’s approval would not improve governance in Tobago, as he called on the bill to be sent back to the people of Tobago. Charles made the statement one week ago as he argued that as Tobago seeks greater autonomy through the bill, the island would have powers to make laws and to implement them but no power to interpret the laws.

However, contacted yesterday, London said he is uncertain as to why the bill must come back to the people of Tobago as the bill has been before the people of Tobago for the past four years.

“We have had well over 40 meetings with all the various interest groups, with all the various communities and what the bill represents is the consensus among Tobagonians as to what they want,” London explained.

He said that there is a difference of opinion about the mandate given to the forum of Political parties.

“As far as I am concerned and most of the members on the forum, the mandate given to us was to treat with a bill that represents the wishes of the people of Tobago and therefore we did not give ourselves the authority to heave on the people of Tobago something which they did not want.

“Those issues of which Mr Charles has indicated, those issues were put to the people of Tobago in various forums and at every occasion, the majority of people went with the position which was put forward in the bill that was sent,” the Chief Secretary said.