Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, says he has received numerous complaints from irate Tobagonians about their inability to access services from the Registrar General’s Office, Tobago.
Mr. Augustine said he commissioned an investigation to ascertain reasons why members of the Tobago public were being denied their legitimate right of access to the services provided by the Registrar General’s Office.
Chief Secretary Augustine advised the Deputy Registrar General (Tobago), appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to the Office of the Prime Minister, Central Administrative Services, Tobago, was arbitrarily locked-out from the online system by a Senior Public Servant from the Registrar General’s Department, Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs.
Additionally, Mr. Augustine says he has been informed the Clerical staff of the Registrar General’s Office, Tobago, were not granted their credentials to access the online system to provide services to Tobagonians.
Chief Secretary Augustine says he is further advised action is related to a difference of opinion between the Senior Public Servant at the Registrar General’s Department in Trinidad and the Central Administrative Services, Tobago, regarding an administrative protocol, which is totally unrelated to the processing of civil, land and company documents at the Registrar General’s Office, Tobago.
Mr. Augustine says, the real impact of this arbitrary action is the collective punishment of Tobagonians.
He added these actions are abusive, totally unacceptable and should not be allowed to go unattended.
The Chief Secretary says it is his reasoned position this constitutes the unlawful and indefensible denial of Tobagonians of their legitimate right of access, to copies of their birth certificate, death certificate, land deeds and company records, which are needed to conduct legitimate transactions.
Therefore, Mr. Augustine says, the conduct of the Senior Public Servant at the Registrar General’s Department in Trinidad, is seemingly pointing to an abuse of authority and misbehaviour in public office.
Chief Secretary Augustine says that he is calling on the Prime Minister and Attorney General, under whose remit the Registrar General Department falls, to immediately cause the resumption of the services at the Registrar General’s Office, Tobago, and to institute the necessary disciplinary actions against the responsible public servant.