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Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says he does not support “outsiders” making decisions for Tobago and believes the island must have a greater say in matters that affect it. He has made it clear that he wants a seat on the National Security Council and has pledged that the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) will push for Tobago to have a voice on national defence and international relations if re-elected on January 12.
Speaking in Scarborough last evening at a TPP rally where he not only unveiled his full slate of candidates but also announced the election date, Augustine told the crowd, “Make no mistake, I believe that the Chief Secretary should be part and parcel of the National Security Council. That's where the conversation should go, and that is a matter for the cabinet to address. That's not even a matter of law. That's a cabinet policy to be addressed. Furthermore, I believe that for any national security and international relations issue for which Tobago is a direct part of the arrangement, we should know.”
Augustine was initially left out of the loop when the United States military installed a radar at the ANR Robinson International Airport. The Prime Minister has stated that the radar was requested as a temporary measure to replace an existing inefficient system and is intended for real-time monitoring and surveillance of air and sea territory to combat drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking. Persad-Bissessar said the Chief Secretary was intentionally not informed because he is not a member of the National Security Council. But after requesting further information from the cabinet, Augustine had a meeting with the Attorney General and Defence Minister.
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