THA leader Farley Augustine has claimed that the leaked audio recording circulating on social media was initially received by him as part of a blackmail plot by a contractor.
Mr Augustine suggested that the recording was authentic but was old and was taken out of context.
He said the political strategy heard on the recording was considered more than a year ago but following discussions, never implemented.
He added that the idea revolved around bringing the persons into the THA as part of personal staff THA officials are allowed to hire.
Augustine said he “very well” believed that former deputy chief secretary Watson Duke was the source of the leak.
He alleged that Duke was one of the people who attempted to get him to pay the contractor money for road work projects on the island.
“In fact, that was perhaps the last meeting we had prior to his departure to New York where he (Duke) infamously ex-communicated himself from the THA,” Augustine alleged.