Tobago Council of the PNM calls for investigation into accusations of fraudulent between contractor and secretary Trevor James
Scarborough, Tobago – March 2024 – The PNM Tobago Council has strongly condemned the circulation of a fraudulent letter purporting to be from the Integrity Commission. This false document alleged an investigation into accusations of corruption involving a contractor and the Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries, and Urban Development, Trevor James.
The fake letter, reportedly based on a WhatsApp message exchange, claimed that James was attempting to coerce $4 million from a contractor on behalf of Chief Secretary Farley Augustine. Despite the Integrity Commission officially denying involvement in the matter or the issuance of the letter (on March 14, 2024), the Tobago Council of the PNM maintained that the underlying allegations still hold merit and warrant a full investigation. They assert that if true, such information has the potential to undermine a critical organization within Trinidad and Tobago’s democracy.
The Tobago Council of the PNM has called for a full police investigation into the actual screenshots of the WhatsApp messages, emphasizing that this is the only way to validate or invalidate the authenticity of the alleged conversations.
For his part, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has since denied any allegations against himself or any member of his executive council of attempting to coerce $4 million from a contractor. He added that if any members of the executive council are found guilty of such actions, he would not hesitate to remove them and condemn their actions, underscoring the seriousness of the accusations.
