Camille McEachnie
The Tobago Council of the People’s National Movement(PNM) wants to repeat the feat it accomplished in the 2013 Tobago House of Assembly’s(THA) elections and win all 12 electoral districts in the January 25 THA elections.
The party is warning Tobagonians that the gains made over the past 20 years will be lost, if this is not done.
Should the party win, it will give the PNM its 6th consecutive victory in the THA elections as the party first won in 2001. Elections are held every four years. In 2017, the Progressive Democratic Patriots broke 2013’s triumph by gaining two of the seats.
At a campaign meeting in Lambeau on Tuesday, the PNM’s candidate for Lambeau/Signal Hill,Tracy Davidson-Celestine, made the party’s intentions clear.
“ When I talk about voting the People’s National Movement into office, I am not saying that we should vote seven seats...just to give us the majority. We want all of the seats.”
She added: “With a PNM administration in Trinidad and PNM administration in Tobago, there will be more benefits for all the people of Tobago going forward.”
She said one of her “greatest joys would be for Rory Dillon(PNM) ...to beat Farley Augustine(PDP).”
She said those districts that did not vote for the PNM will be disadvantaged.
“Come out and ensure that your candidate sits around the (Executive Council) table. (This) is important in terms of the delivery of goods and services...It is at the level of the Executive Council where most of the services and the resources are discussed and shared up among the representatives,” Davidson-Celestine said.
She pointed out that between 2010-2015 when the People’s Partnership controlled Trinidad and the PNM- led the Tobago administration,” We (Tobago) achieved nothing out of that relationship.”
“ There was fight and bacchanal and kankatang every day (and ) the PNM- controlled Assembly took the UNC to court.”
She repeated one of the party’s warnings,” If we were to put God out of our thoughts at this point in time and vote the PDP, with a PNM administration in Trinidad and a Tobago political leader who has Tobago’s interest at heart, crapaud smoke all ah we pipe.”
Meanwhile, at the meeting, outgoing PNM candidate for Lambeau/Signal Hill Jomo Pitt passed a ceremonial baton to Davidson-Celestine.
He said it is fitting that she run for the Lambeau/Signal Hill seat and explained why she is not facing the PDP’s Augustine for the Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside seat. She represented that area for eight years.
He said the Lambeau seat became vacant because he decided to opted-out of the race. He said Davidson-Celestine lived in the area and living close to her constituents allowed her to deliver services to them quicker.