One Tobago Voice gets chewed out

Former senator and MP for Tobago East Nathaniel Moore caused quite an uproar when he openly bitterly criticised the leaders of the One Tobago Voice (OTV).

On Sunday, the leaders of the new coalition party – Ho­choy Charles of the Plat­form of Truth (TPT), Tobago Forwards leader Christlyn Moore and Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) leader Ashworth Jack – met with their mem­ber­s in Bon Accord. The purpose of the meeting was to rat­i­fy the 24 articles of the con­sti­tu­tion of OTV.

This meeting was the fourth conversation on "Uniting the peoples of Tobago" to take charge of their destiny and to address the challenges affecting Tobago and its people, and consisted of 60 registered participants.

As the members of the new party criticised the current leadership style of the ruling PNM and boasted that a unified approach was necessary, near the end of the meeting, Moore expressed umbrage with what he was hearing.

He told the meeting’s chair, Charles: “Some of the same things you are say­ing about lead­er­ship ap­ply to you, and you are guilty of the evils you have men­tioned.”

He went further.

“You three people up there as leaders have been among those that have set us back because of your style of leadership in Tobago, and it is time you reflect on that and you know and stop it, so that you get the kind of co-operation you want.”

Moore did not believe any of the three was an ideal candidate for the position of leader.

“Our people here must know, you are going to look for leaders again, among these leaders here, each time they went for elections, since we start to lose they losing worse and worse. So these are not the ones to bring for your leaders. You don’t qualify.

"I hope the people are going to look for leaders among your group who would lead you because you are not going to get recognition from the electorate,” he said.

Moore said he agreed with the notion of one Tobago voice but implored the coalition group to not be too critical of their political opponents. He advised OTV to partner with the progressive Democratic Patriots

"I agree with the idea of one voice but there are certain voices in Tobago you cannot leave out, and let me call name, The PDP people, don't leave them out at any cost. Do your best to talk with them and come to some kind of negotiation and don't just turn your back on them and get fed up with them."

When asked if he would be interested in offering himself for leadership, Moore said: “No, I am not volunteering,. I can give advice if you want.”

The meeting ended abruptly.

Moore represented the National Alliance for Reconstruction in Parliament.

The One Tobago Voice colours will be green, white and golden yellow, with green being predominant. Its sym­bol, which has al­ready been ap­proved by the Elec­tions and Bound­aries Com­mis­sion (EBC), is a tablet in­scribed with a loaf of bread.