Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 18/Jan 02:33

Chief Secretary: THA aims to provide greater transparency

The Tobago House of Assembly will have its first ordinary meeting on January 22, where members will amend the rules of the House to create more transparency and direct democracy. This was announced by THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine on January 16 during his first press briefing in the new term of his administration, held at the Hochoy Charles Administrative Complex in Scarborough. The Tobago People’s Party (TPP), led by Augustine, swept the THA elections on January 12, taking all 15 seats. “The law says that we must have our first ordinary meeting within 15 days post the swearing in of members. So, we’re going to have that first ordinary meeting next week, Thursday at 1.30 pm.” He said one of the first items on the agenda was to amend the rules of the House to allow the public to be informed of what is being done, while also having “direct democracy.” The standing orders would be amended, he said, to allow an assistant secretary or someone who is not a member of the executive to chair the Public Accounts Committee. He said previously that public accounts committees were chaired by the minority leader or someone appointed by the minority leader. In the absence of a minority leader or any minority, he said, an assistant secretary will be appointed. “I have already signalled to the chief administrator so that through a circular, she can signal to all administrators, heads of departments, chairmen of boards, CEO’s of THA state companies that they will be called to public accounts committee meetings to sit and account publicly for activities and for their execution of executive council policies.” He said the rules of the House will be amended to allow some of the House committees to be held in-camera. “So, we are going to shift these policies dramatically to allow live broadcast of some of these committee meetings, save and except in instances where the matters might be relative to issues like security, which require a certain level of confidentiality. That will allow you, the public, to listen carefully, to hear what’s happening and to form your own opinions and be able to submit those to us.” The House rules, he said, will also be changed to allow for questions that will be asked in the House to come from the public. E-governance, he said, would be introduced. Augustine also announces a probationary period for all THA secretaries to prove that they have the competencies to perform their duties. Failing which, he said, they would be removed from their positions. “I will be giving every secretary I appoint just nine months to start to prove themselves. If in nine months you don’t prove yourself, I’m just removing you and putting somebody else ... because at the end of the day, when the delivery doesn’t happen, everyone looks at the Chief Secretary. I am not secretary of all I survey, but I am secretary of all secretaries that I appoint... and so, if we don’t have the delivery, or if you’re unable to get the delivery done, then I am sorry, I will just have to move to somebody else within the team,” he said. The post Chief Secretary: THA aims to provide greater transparency appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.