She was commenting on a meeting she held in Tobago with Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London, who has complained that the central government is "trespassing" on its turf, a charge that the government has refuted.
Part of the discussions on Thursday focused on the THA’s objection to the central government's exercise of discretion in the approval of THA nominees to state boards.
London argued that the convention is that when the THA submits names of persons to sit on state boards the cabinet appoints them. He said the present government is changing that.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the matter of state boards was one of the things that came up in the meeting with London and explained that she and the THA chief continue to disagree on some issues.
However she insisted that her government will continue to act within the law and to "serve the people of Tobago as the people of Trinidad."
She added, "I informed the Chief Secretary that a note on that issue came before the Cabinet...and it is at present with the boards committee of Cabinet.”
She said, “We will only operate within the law. And as I am advised it is the law."
The Prime Minister continued, “I think the Government has a duty to serve the people of Tobago as they have a duty to serve the people of Trinidad. We will operate within the confines of the law always.”
London told reporters earlier in the day that while the meeting with the Prime Minister was cordial, it did not achieve anything. However Persad-Bissessar disagreed with that.
“That is his opinion. We are trying our best to meet with him, to have discussions with him. But we cannot always agree on everything. But we will meet again.”
London told reporters the government's position is that there are two elected MPs from Tobago in government who have a responsibility to place on the boards persons of their choice.
However he wants more than that. “I indicated I had no problem with that, but I felt as has happened in the past, where we had about 47 boards on which the THA was represented they could also select a THA representative and a Tobago representative.”
He said while the AG and the PM assured him that they consider his arguments he is not optimistic that there will be an increased representation on the boards.
Persad-Bissessar and her cabinet met in Tobago Thursday. It's part of her agenda to fulfill her promise to ensure that Tobago has equal status and representation.
"You might be surprised that we are in Tobago so often,” Foreign Minister Suraj Rambachan said Thursday as he chaired the post-cabinet media briefing. “This is part of the responsibility we hold to the people,” he said.
The cabinet is holding a retreat Friday to assess its first year in office and plan ahead and on Saturday evening members of the People's Partnership will hold an anniversary rally at the old market square in Scarborough, starting at 7 in the evening.
She added, "I informed the Chief Secretary that a note on that issue came before the Cabinet...and it is at present with the boards committee of Cabinet.”
She said, “We will only operate within the law. And as I am advised it is the law."
The Prime Minister continued, “I think the Government has a duty to serve the people of Tobago as they have a duty to serve the people of Trinidad. We will operate within the confines of the law always.”
London told reporters earlier in the day that while the meeting with the Prime Minister was cordial, it did not achieve anything. However Persad-Bissessar disagreed with that.
“That is his opinion. We are trying our best to meet with him, to have discussions with him. But we cannot always agree on everything. But we will meet again.”
London told reporters the government's position is that there are two elected MPs from Tobago in government who have a responsibility to place on the boards persons of their choice.
However he wants more than that. “I indicated I had no problem with that, but I felt as has happened in the past, where we had about 47 boards on which the THA was represented they could also select a THA representative and a Tobago representative.”
He said while the AG and the PM assured him that they consider his arguments he is not optimistic that there will be an increased representation on the boards.
Persad-Bissessar and her cabinet met in Tobago Thursday. It's part of her agenda to fulfill her promise to ensure that Tobago has equal status and representation.
"You might be surprised that we are in Tobago so often,” Foreign Minister Suraj Rambachan said Thursday as he chaired the post-cabinet media briefing. “This is part of the responsibility we hold to the people,” he said.
The cabinet is holding a retreat Friday to assess its first year in office and plan ahead and on Saturday evening members of the People's Partnership will hold an anniversary rally at the old market square in Scarborough, starting at 7 in the evening.
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