Shamfa Demands Answers From Farley Augustine After Newly Opened Goodwood Police Post Closes Within 24 Hours
PNM Tobago Council political leader Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis is demanding answers from Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine following the closure of the newly commissioned Goodwood police post, amid reports of soil erosion, foundation problems and other infrastructural defects.
In a strongly worded Facebook post, Cudjoe-Lewis challenged Augustine over his role in approving the facility, declaring: “Chief Secretary, you approved. Now account for it.”
The controversy surrounds one of three micro-policing units commissioned in Tobago on October 13, 2026, by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The facilities at Goodwood, Signal Hill and Plymouth were intended to strengthen police visibility, improve response times and increase security across the island.
However, within 24 hours of the commissioning, officers assigned to the Goodwood facility were instructed to vacate the premises because of infrastructural concerns.
According to a Trinidad Guardian report published on October 23, an inspection of the Goodwood site revealed cracks behind the building’s foundation, exposed foundation steel and significant soil erosion near a ravine.
The report indicated that almost six inches of soil had been washed away from beneath part of the structure, raising questions about the suitability of the location and the quality of construction.
Senior Superintendent Rodhill Kirk confirmed that infrastructural issues were preventing police and military personnel from operating at the facility. He also identified problems with the water supply and said assessments had been conducted to determine what corrective work was necessary.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Anand Ramesar had similarly acknowledged concerns about the foundation and water connections, confirming that the issues had been referred to senior police officials.
No confirmed date has been provided for the facility’s reopening.
Cudjoe-Lewis has now placed the spotlight on Augustine, questioning the judgment behind the approval of a facility that became unusable almost immediately after its official commissioning.
Her intervention also raises wider questions about whether adequate inspections and safety assessments were completed before the building was declared ready for operation.
The controversy has extended beyond the political exchanges, with Goodwood residents expressing frustration over the closure.
Residents interviewed by Guardian Media questioned how a newly constructed facility could already be experiencing serious infrastructural problems. Others expressed disappointment that a community which had welcomed the prospect of increased police protection was still unable to benefit from the investment.
Questions have also emerged over the cost of the project and the contractors responsible for construction.
At the October 13 commissioning ceremony, Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar directed questions concerning the cost of the security posts and the contractors involved to the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), which managed the projects.
The distinction is significant, as Cudjoe-Lewis’s demand for accountability from Augustine does not, by itself, establish which authority approved the construction site, certified the building or authorised its commissioning.
Meanwhile, the Signal Hill and Plymouth facilities remain operational, while Goodwood residents await the reopening of their police post.
With public funds already committed and the facility out of service, the central questions remain: Who approved the location, who certified the structure as safe, how much did the project cost, and who will be responsible for correcting the defects?
For now, the Goodwood police post remains closed, and Cudjoe-Lewis is insisting that the Chief Secretary provide answers.
Article and image source: facebook.com
