One Tobago Voice to approach EBC

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

A consensus has been reached and a coalition has finally been agreed to in Tobago.

Three Tobago political parties – the Christlyn Moore-led Tobago Forwards (TF), Ashworth Jack's Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) and Hochoy Charles' The Platform of Truth (TPT) – have joined forces as One Tobago Voice.

The decision was presented to the party’s membership last Sunday during a founders conference/ meeting at Rovanel’s conference centre in Bon Accord, where the party’s draft constitution was presented.

This meeting was the third conversation on the subject of “Uniting the peoples of Tobago” to take charge of their destiny and to address the challenges affecting Tobago and its people.

Charles said, “This that we are forming today would be one strong, authentic Tobago voice that everyone, not just those in Tobago and Trinidad, but the world, will listen to and must listen to.

“There are so many people talking for Tobago that’s not Tobago voice, and that is Tobago’s problem, so that is the name we give it. It is so crucial that Tobago speaks with one voice – and it must be a Tobago voice. All the problems that we’re suffering in Tobago now – whether is airbridge, seabridge, the disaster that is going on with the terminal building at the airport – whatever it is, it is because we’re not hearing Tobago’s voice. The day we fix one voice is the day your problems solved.”

The constitution of the party was presented to members, who were told to deliberate on it and return in three weeks.

Once the name, colour and symbol of the party are accepted by the Elections and Boundaries Commission, the party will be formally launched, Charles said.“The symbol that we have come to you with in the draft constitution is the electronic tablet inscribed with a loaf of bread running diagonally across it…Our symbol for One Tobago Voice must be an electronic tablet like your cellphone that would educate you, give you access to all the resources you require and feed you, feed the nation – that’s why the loaf of bread, the bread of life.

“What we would be doing now, since those of you who are present have no objections to it, we would need to go to the EBC to make sure it is cleared. We would go and get it cleared by the EBC and within three weeks, we would come back to you with the entire constitution for your discussion and approval and then the party’s launch.”

The colours for the party will be green, white and golden yellow, with green being the predominant colour.

The draft constitution contains 24 articles.