00:00The people of Tobago can look forward to concrete measures that will for the fullest time embed direct democracy in our governance model, ensuring that citizens are not spectators in decision making, but participants in it.
00:17Mr. Agustin insisted the THA, which has no opposition following Monday's polls, would not govern in an abusive or dictatorial style.
00:27I want you to know that giving us all 15 seats will not result in us abusing you, will not result in us becoming elected dictators, but will allow for us to introduce measures without being stymied by those who are anti-Tubergonian, and will ensure that Tobago sees progress along a trajectory that leads to the greatest little island on the planet.
00:55Mr. Agustin then sought to explain the reason for additional members within the THA.
01:02That quorum was nine when we had 12 elected members. We increased the number to 15, and the quorum never changed.
01:12A full house, really and truly, is 15, plus 4, which is 19.
01:20If the law stays as it is, it means that nine people can make a decision for 19.
01:28That quorum does not fit. So the quorum now changes to 12, which is a higher standard, which means 12 members must be in the House for any debate to be considered legal.
01:42He then explained a second change, which was mentioned by Attorney General John Jeremy on Wednesday during a media conference.
01:50The second change involves a number of secretaries that are possible, and the last time we had such an amendment was Act No. 17 of 2006.
02:07So the last time the Parliament made provisions to allow us to select more secretaries was all the way back in 2006.
02:17We are now in 2026 with an expanded House with more members, and we feel that it is time to make a change there again.
02:28A new division of the THA is to be created.
02:32Legal Affairs and Inter-Governance Affairs, headed by Councillor Adana Joseph Wallace.
02:38Which will be equivalent to that of an Attorney General for the Tobago House of Assembly and the Tobago Island Government.
02:47And because of that, I needed to have on this team a lawyer of excellent repute.
02:54And that's why allow me to introduce to you Ms. Adana Aisha Joseph Wallace.
02:59She is a respected attorney at law and academic.
03:07Her career reflects a deep commitment to justice, education, and human resource development.
03:15She is a Bowles'o scholar.
03:17She holds a Bachelor of Law degree, first class honours.
03:21She has a Master's in Public Law, and she has another Bachelor of Science degree in Government and Social Policy.
03:30Elizabeth Williams, TV6 News.
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