PM: New Tobago legislation coming

Rowley said while many persons associate former President Arthur NR Robinson (deceased) with the movement for greater autonomy for Tobago, it was Murray who crystallised this ambition in insisting that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) be re-established as the administrative authority in the sister isle.

Rowley said Murray’s efforts to re-establish the Assembly came at a time, “when there was great anxiety in Tobago that independence was not working for us as a country and Tobago was falling behind.” He said Murray’s efforts played a key role in the re-establishment of the THA in 1980.

I can tell you today that no Tobagonian now is conceiving of a Tobago without the THA,” Rowley said. Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis paid tribute to Balgobin Ramdeen, the last surviving member of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) from the pre-Independence era.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh praised Ramdeen as a representative who fought tirelessly to ensure that persons in rural communities received the most basic ammenities.