The official residence of Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine at Milford Road, Lowlands, was searched by officers from the White Collar Crime Division of the T&T Police Service yesterday. This was confirmed by the head of the division ACP Wendell Lucas.
The exercise, which took place around 11 am, lasted over three hours. The Chief Secretary was scheduled to be the featured speaker at an 11.30 am press conference of the Commonwealth Youth Games at the Magdalena Grand resort but was a no-show.
However, during a THA town hall meeting at the Whym community centre last night, Augustine, who was asked to explain his late arrival, said he spent a significant portion of the day with police officers connected to the probe. “They came around 11 am and I did not leave until the evening,” he said without going into too much detail.
The search of Farley’s residence followed searches at the homes of several current and former THA employees on Saturday.
Guardian Media understands that at least one retired THA chief administrator, whose name we have chosen to withhold given the sensitive nature of the investigation, was among those whose homes were searched by police over the weekend in connection with the probe into the leaked voice recording involving Augustine and an unidentified female.
In that one-minute-and-15-second voice recording that has made its rounds on social media since May 23, the two THA executives were heard plotting to utilise the THA money to fund a propaganda campaign on behalf of the new Tobago People Party, led by Augustine.
The recording has created a firestorm of controversy.
However, the embattled Chief Secretary has since alleged that the audio file was an attempt at extortion by a contractor who is owed millions of dollars in outstanding payments by the THA.
Meanwhile, the THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris said the recent searches should send a message to politicians that none of them is above the law, while
Chairman of the PNM Tobago Council Ancil Dennis said the investigation should be allowed to take its course and let “the chips fall where they may”.
Leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots Watson Duke believes the search is part of the police carrying out a thorough investigation. “Though intrusive, it is also comprehensive in not leaving any stone unturned,” he added.
The THA Assembly Legislature will meet in a special sitting today from 10 am where Augustine is expected to make a statement.
A release from the Office of the Chief Secretary yesterday stated, “The sitting is being convened to discuss matters of importance to our democratic way of life in Tobago.”
It added that “the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago guarantees that our twin island republic shall be a sovereign democratic state and it is in this regard, that the democratically elected Tobago House of Assembly shall meet to consider the constant threat to its very existence. We look forward to informing the population of these matters.”