The recent attacks from Christlyn Moore on the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and other institutions in Tobago are aimed at denigrating those institutions.

That is how London views controversial media statements by the Tobago Forwards leader. Moore has made several misleading claims to the media in recent weeks, severely criticising the THA, and most recently, the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA).

Several of those claims by the former Justice Minister have turned out to be false. These include suggestions that Tobago’s Emergency Response Technicians (ERTs) are not sufficiently trained, and that there may be an organ harvesting ring on the island. The Authority confirmed that Moore’s statistics on neonatal deaths in Tobago—which suggested there were 18 in the last 16 months—are also glaringly wrong.

Concerning Moore’s statements, London said the truth has a way of “eventually surfacing”.

“You can only smother the truth for so long,” the Chief Secretary stated. “And I think the truth has, in fact, answered Ms. Moore. Basically, it’s interesting that the truth didn’t only come from the TRHA; the truth came from her former colleague, the Minister of Health.

“I look on with interest and I ask myself: ‘where are the priorities?’ What I’m seeing is just a continuation of the kind of representation we’ve seen from (her former Cabinet colleagues) Dr. (Delmon) Baker and Mrs Vernella Alleyne-Toppin.”

London said the trio’s representation is not about seeking Tobagonians’ interests “regardless of the political ramifications”.

“(Their representation is) really about denigrating the Tobago House Assembly and Tobago’s institutions and Tobago individuals,” London declared. “So as far as I’m concerned it’s more of the same, and I’m hoping the people of Tobago understand the significance of that posture which is now being taken by Ms. Moore.”