The ownership of the estates said to be willed to the descendants of Archibald Robley back in 1823 may now have to be settled by the Courts.
Chief Secretary Orville London told the Tobago News that he met James Robley more than once some time ago and advised him that legal and constitutional issues were involved and that it was a matter for the Courts. London said he had informed Robley that he had received legal advice that the issue cannot be handled at an administrative level.
The gathering of the Robley family included elders, middle aged, youths and young children. James Robley who is in his 90th year has an unbelievable physique for someone at his age. He looks more like 60 years than 90. James Robley served as a soldier in the Trinidad and Tobago 1st Battalion during the War Years 1940 to 1945. He later spent 29 years in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. As he explained "During my time in the Police Service, I was attached to the security detail of the then Prime Minister Eric Williams."
The military background of James Robley seems to have adequately prepared him to lead his family in what they claim was their right to their ancestral land. The Robley family is in possession of the will of Archibald Robley who was of mixed European and African stock which was probated in England in 1823 leaving his nine estates in Tobago to his descendants.
James Robley gave the history of the land story this way. He said, "Back in the late 1700, the Robleys came to Tobago and bought land. Then they proceeded to the Gold Coast (Ghana) in West Africa and brought 815 Africans to work on the lands in Tobago."
James Robley indicated that two Robley's Joseph and James served as Governors of Tobago but it was Archibald Robley who willed the Tobago estates to the Robley descendants in 1823.
James Robley noted that when he became aware of what the situation relating to the estates in Tobago was, he embarked on a mission to get the relevant documents from England. He displayed copies of the will. The estates in question are Freindship, Golden Grove, Cove, Studley Park, Richmond, Goodwood, Glamorgan, Betsy's Hope, Goldsborough and Speyside.
James Robley revealed that "a letter was sent to Prime Minister Patrick Manning in relation to the Robleys' land claim and the Prime Minister put the matter into the hands of the Attorney General."
He said the Attorney General wrote to him advising that they (the Robleys) seek an audience with the THA Chief Secretary Orville London. James Robley further claimed that he went to see the Chief Secretary who told him to write to him on the matter. "A letter was sent to the Chief Secretary but he did not reply, so I went back to see him, but we got no satisfaction," he added.
