Political Leader of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) Ashworth Jack made his debut on a UNC political platform in Marabella on Monday night.
He sounded a warning that Tobagonians were not going to sit and become second-class citizens in this country in which they were born. The Tobago leader, who has formed an alliance with the United National Congress to contest the 2010 general election whenever Prime Minister Patrick Manning announces the date, said they were prepared to fight for their space and demonstrate their ability to manage their own affairs, no matter who was in government. He warned, however, that as the threat became clear, vicious moves would be made to divide the alliance by race. Jack said since his alliance with the UNC, he had received some interesting text messages asking him why he was supporting the Indians, in reference to the supporters of the opposition party.
"Some of your own people are going to say to you don't support Jack Warner," he warned the audience at Gopaul Lands car park, Marabella, under a "Let Us Take Charge" banner of the UNC. He advised them not to allow themselves to be divided by something as petty as race. "If you do it alone, none of us will be able to succeed. We need to work together," he said. Jack pointed that throughout the years, people in this county lived in unity, but only around election time politicians came around to remind them who was Indian and who was African. The TOP leader urged supporters to keep their heads on and support the political organisation which would form a government based on integrity, honesty and fair play and not discriminate against any one based on their political affiliation.
Responding to the tremendous display of support for the UNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she made her way through the mammoth crowd to the stage, Jack told them they had an excellent chance at winning the elections, but warned them not to let the elation and jubilation cloud the victory. He said: "Too often we get ourselves into a false sense of security that says we win already and when the time comes, we are so taken over with all the jubilation that we did not do that which was necessary to ensure victory. "I come to warn you that the crowds are going to get larger, that the attacks will become more vicious, that you will start sensing victory, but when you sense victory it is time to work."