London offers THA plan

He will also ask the THA to adopt the report at its plenary sitting at 1.30 pm on Thursday.

A THA statement yesterday said London will ask the House to mandate the Executive Council to take all steps to help meet the plan’s goals for Tobago’s sustainable development for 2013 to 2017.

In his motion, London will say that Tobago still faces economic and social challenges, along with Trinidad and the Caribbean, but that in recent years Tobago has progressed in coping with the issues of underdevelopment, as said in the plan.

London said the plan was informed by a review of the island’s accomplishments and challenges, in the context of the 2006 to 2010 Plan, and was prepared by public consultation.

Proceedings of the sitting will be carried live on Tobago Channel 5.

In another statement, London urged THA administrators to ensure there is an “urgent, adequate and professional response to all management letters from the Auditor General, with respect to the accounts of the Assembly”.

London wrote the administrators on July 5, expressing his disappointment and alarm that, after many months and numerous requests, administrators in some Divisions of the Assembly had not responded to management from the Auditor General with respect to the accounts of the Assembly.

“Failure to respond to those management letters could guarantee that the Assembly receives negative comments when the Auditor General’s reports are finalised,” London said.

He also reminded the administrators of the public outcry and condemnation, after the publication of the Auditor General reports, in recent years.

He said most criticisms in those reports related to the poor response to the relevant management letters.

He stressed: “It would be untenable if that situation were to be repeated and I am, therefore, urging all administrators to ensure that there is an urgent, adequate and professional response to all management letters from the Auditor General, with respect to the accounts of the Tobago House of Assembly.” London said he was forced to write the administrators because something was happening that was troubling him and he decided to act. He said a management letter was only sent if supporting documentation for spending on a particular item was not produced during an audit exercise by the Auditor General’s Department.