Tobago Correspondent
After getting confirmation that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) executive has registered a new party, Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke is demanding that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley intervene and trigger THA elections.
An updated roster of symbols and political parties released by the Election and Boundaries Commission on February 26 includes the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) led by interim leader Chief Secretary Farley Augustine. The party, launched last April, has been officially recognized and registered and is expected to hold internal elections in June.
At a press conference yesterday, Duke argued that it was unethical for a party to assume leadership of the THA without being elected by the people.
In 2021, his party defeated the PNM 14-1 and formed the new THA executive. Less than a year later, all the members of the THA executive resigned from the PDP and went on to form the TPP. The mass resignation was triggered by a public spat between Duke and Augustine over insufficient funding for a Tobago folk performing group in New York.
Two weeks into the fallout, Duke resigned as deputy chief secretary and from the THA Executive. He argued yesterday that “Tobago voted for them based on what they would have said at the polls as PDP candidates” and the THA is being led by a different party without a mandate.
Duke accused Rowley of turning a blind eye to the situation.
“You have turned your face from that and threatened Farley, saying ‘When you’re doing that, call election.” Well, he do it. In your face, he register he (sic) party. What you go do now? Tobagonians are waiting on your Mr Prime Minister. Don’t be an abject failure as you have been on crime and other issues. Don’t be a failure to Tobagonians.
“You are the prime minister. You have executive authority over everybody in this country, over the THA too. Let me see what you will do.”
Duke called on Rowley to bring “quick and successive amendments to put down this reign of terror on the people of Tobago.”
He added: “Nowhere in the world could you hear a party without contesting an election is leading an executive. This is happening under his (Rowley) African nose.
“If you can’t settle this in your own home town in Tobago, Mr Prime Minister you’re wasting time. As Farley tell you, ‘Call election now.’ This is a subversion of justice and I am wondering, ‘Where is the head of the Prime Minister as he contemplates Tobago being run in a self-governing manner?’”
He was referring to comments made by Rowley last year where he publicly called for a fresh THA election. In an opinion piece published on Facebook, Rowley argued that the assumption of executive authority without an election contradicts the principles of democratic governance and urged Augustine and his party to hold an early election in line with their efforts to register as a new political party.
At that time, Duke accused Rowley of being too weak to take action against Augustine. However, political scientist Dr Shane Mohammed believes calls for a new election are irrelevant and without merit, as the THA can continue functioning even with the formation of a new party. He said the THA Act allows for the administration to be recognized as an institution on its own standing.