Monday, August 20 2012

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has been left out of today’s motorcade in Tobago in celebration of Olympians, gold medallist Keshorn Walcott, of Toco, and Tobago-born double bronze medallist Lalonde Gordon.

The motorcade, which will be headed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Tobago West MP/Minister of Tobago Development Dr Delmon Baker, will start from the ANR Robinson International Airport, Crown Point, at 10 am, according to a release from Ministry of National Security yesterday.

However, the THA had received no official notification of the event or its itinerary. The event is the Tobago leg of the Olympic Caravan Country Tour hosted by Government in honour of this country’s Olympic team, including Walcott who won a gold medal in the men’s javelin and Gordon, who won two bronze medals in the 400 metres men’s race and the 4x400 metres relay. Efforts to reach THA Chief Secretary Orville London yesterday were unsuccessful. Sources close to London said the THA had no information on the motorcade and was awaiting confirmation of what was happening. It was said that London only knew about the motorcade from what he read in newspapers.

Newsday was also told London received a faxed message yesterday from National Security Minister Jack Warner indicating the Prime Minister was scheduled to make a courtesy call on the Chief Secretary at his Calder Hall, Scarborough office at 9.30 am today. However, this is yet to be confirmed since it clashes with the time for the motorcade, as participants are to arrive at the airport for 9 am, before leaving the airport at 10 am. Meanwhile, Gordon is expected to be the guest of honour at a reception this evening hosted by the THA in recognition of his performance as the first Tobago-born athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, as well as the other Tobago athletes.