Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is presumptuous in trying to force the hand of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) in calling the THA elections, said Chief Secretary Orville London.

He was speaking with reporters following the annual Aids walk in Tobago yesterday.

London said only the THA has that power. He added that one thing the Prime Minister and her People's Partnership Government are good at is the art of diverting the citizenry away from the pressing issues of the country, especially in light of the fiasco involving Section 34 and the public outcry that followed.

And one thing remains quite clear, he said.

"That neither the Prime Minister, Minister (Herbert) Volney, Minister (Jack) Warner or any other member of her Cabinet has in fact said anything to convince the public that there was not some sinister motive behind the decision to have the clause enacted."

On Sunday, during a pre-budget function at her home, Persad-Bissessar called on Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to call the THA elections and the Chief Secretary to dissolve the THA.

London stressed the Prime Minister has not told the country why there seems to be in her Cabinet a clear distinction between what he called the "dispensables" and the "untouchables".

"Because you get that feeling that in the Cabinet the dispensables are the people you can throw to the public to give the impression that you are firm, that you are strong, that you have integrity. The untouchables will do the same thing or worse, and nothing happens," London said.

According to the THA Act 40 of 1996, the Tobago House of Assembly has no less than two months and no more than three months in which to call the election, but the Chief Secretary reminded the Prime Minister that the election cannot be triggered by her, nor is he hoping she will attempt to impose her will on the people of Tobago and the THA.

"I think the Prime Minister a little presumptuous, quite honestly, to be telling us in the THA that we should call elections. The election will be called when the THA as an institution believes that we will set the date, and then the President will call the election after consultation," London concluded.