Duke: PM wants new PNM head in Tobago

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) presiding officer Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus is being favoured by the Prime Minister and the hierarchy of the People's National Movement (PNM) in the race for the leadership of the party's Tobago Council, according to Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke.

Duke made the statement in his address to supporters on Sunday, at the launch of the party's general election and THA election campaign, held at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Lowlands.

The Tobago Council is currently led by Chief Secretary and Secretary for Education, Innovation and Energy Kelvin Charles.

A date has not yet been announced for the PNM Tobago internal elections but it is expected to take place early next year.

Tsoiafatt Angus, a former community development and culture secretary under former chief secretary Orville London, also has not expressed her intention to contest the election.

Duke claimed, though, Charles' camp is "confused" by the development.

"He (Charles) doh know if he going or coming because there is somebody called 'Dr D' who sits in the House as the presiding officer and she looks at him like this (a fixed stare).

"The PNM election is coming up and I heard the prime minister and everybody backing 'Dr D' because they say as long as he (Charles) is the chief secretary, Watson go win the election."

The THA Minority Leader then trained his guns on 'Dr D.'

"I want to put 'Dr D' on notice. You could go up, Kelvin Charles, the two of allyuh could join, we (PDP) are going to beat you.

"The people of Tobago will defeat you because we are tired of being second place. They are tired of being second class."

But speaking to Newsday on Monday, Tsoiafatt Angus refused to get drawn into the politics.

Asked whether she was interested in the PNM leadership, Tsoiafatt Angus said, "If is one thing he (Duke) was right about, right now I am the presiding officer, and whilst I am the presiding officer I am not going to answer to any of those questions or calls."

Tsoiafatt Angus unsuccessfully contested the leadership at the 2016 PNM internal elections under the slogan “Let’s Embrace Out Future Together.”

At the PDP launch on Sunday, Duke lamented Tobago did not have its own university and the police were still taking instructions from Trinidad.

He declared: "We must control our own business here."

He told supporters the PDP must win the two Tobago seats in next year's general election to give the island a fighting chance at greater autonomy.

"And being a skilled negotiator as I am, under my tenureship in the PSA (Public Services Association) we have done miraculous things, too numerous to mention.

"But the same work I put in for the PSA I am going to put in for you. I guarantee you, give me those two seats and we are going to bring it home."

Apart from next year's general election, Duke said the PDP also will contest all 12 electoral districts in the THA election, constitutionally due in 2021.

In the January 2017 THA election, the party won two of the 12 electoral districts: Roxborough/Delaford (Duke) and Speyside/L'Anse Fourmi/Parlatuvier (Farley Augustine).
(with reporting by Stephon Nicholas)