tidings
Corey Connelly
Deputy Chief Secretary Watson Duke has criticized the THA administration led by the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) for not providing funds to members of the Roxborough Folk Performers who were to perform at some cultural events in New York, USA.
As a result, he claimed, the group members are trapped and starving.
Duke is the PDP political leader and assemblyman for the Roxborough/Argyle constituency.
In a video on his Facebook page on Wednesday, the Duke said: “I have come here to help about 27 Tobagonians from the Roxborough folk group who came to Brooklyn with the help of THA to perform and represent Tobago and the culture ours”.
Duke claimed that aside from the airline tickets, THA has not provided the group with additional funds for expenses in New York.
“Beyond the ticket, when they landed, they were treated as thieves, as slaves, as lost. There was no transport to pick them up and take them from the airport to a specific chosen destination. They came to the streets of New York, trying to find a place to sleep, tired, exhausted, feeling weak and mentally broken.”
He claimed that they stayed in a cellar for several days “with dead rats, hungry and forgotten by THA.
“I say forgotten because (although) calls have been made to the base, THA, declaring things not right, what can be done? Nothing has been done.”
The Duke said a Tobagonian living in New York is helping the group with temporary hotel accommodation.
He asked THA to send money to them for food and shelter.
