Tobago House of Assembly | |
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12th Assembly | |
![]() Seal of the Tobago House of Assembly | |
![]() Flag of the Tobago House of Assembly | |
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Abby Taylor since 9 December 2021 | |
Farley Chavez Augustine, TPP since 9 December 2021 | |
Minority Leader | Kelvon Morris, PNM since 9 December 2021 |
Structure | |
Seats | 15 |
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Political groups | Government
Opposition |
Elections | |
First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 6 December 2021 |
Meeting place | |
Assembly Legislative Chambers, Jermingham Street, Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago | |
Website | |
http://www.tha.gov.tt/ |
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The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is a unicameral devolved legislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. The THA was re-established in 1980[1] to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands; a prior body of the same name existed from 1768 to 1874.[2] In addition to the normal local government functions, the THA handles many of the responsibilities of the central government, but has limited ability to collect taxes and to impose local law or zoning regulations. At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the fifteen elected assemblymen, and four appointed councillors. Three of the councillors are appointed on the advice on the Chief Secretary and one on the advice of the Minority Leader. The Chief Secretary is the leader of the majority party in the assembly and is at the helm of the Executive arm of the THA.[3]
The current Chief Secretary of Tobago is Farley Chavez Augustine who is the second youngest Chief Secretary in history, in office since December 6, 2021. He was elected as a member of the PDP but left the party to first become an independent in 2022, then later setting up his own political party the Tobago People's Party.