Charles: My record speaks for itself

Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles is confident his performance within the last three years will be sufficient to sway voters and give him a second term as political leader of the PNM Tobago Council. The PNM will hold internal elections on January 19, 2020 with Charles being challenged by former THA presiding officer Dr Denise Tsoiaf­fat An­gus, ex-deputy chief secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine and current deputy chief secretary Joel Jack.

Speaking to the media at PNM headquarters in Scarborough on Monday's nomination day Charles said, "This is not an election on personalities, it is an election between and among philosophies to country, philosophies to the party, personal philosophies, as well as it is an election that will speak to the issue of record and performance."

He said with limited resources he has been able to enhance the livelihood of all Tobagonians.

"We cannot be faulted by our performance over the last three years. Indeed, everyone recognises what we have been able to do in the context of declining revenue.

“The view was expressed, there were some things we could have done differently and of course, that is life. Show me a man that has never made a mistake and I’ll show you a man who has never made anything.”Charles said his team managed to make a significant impact in education, infrastructure, enterprise development, tourism and sport in three years.Charles said this election will be a historic event as it is the first time all positions will be contested on the one man, one vote system. In 2016 only the positions for the political leader and chairman were done through that system. “We are saying to the people of the PNM that we are on track and there will be no turning back," Charles declared.

He said he feels very confident he led the party and the island in the right direction.

“There can be no separation; the two positions political leader and chief secretary are interlinked. They are bound because one leads naturally into the other.”He said, for him this is more than an election for the race of political leader but a fight for the next chief secretary.

“The team that is required for the coherence of policy, adherence to systems, philosophies, and principals of the party and devotion to duty, those things are necessary as one seeks alignment to that vision.”Charles said a "collective competence, and not really the views of a single person” is needed to take Tobago forward and his team brings that.“We have experienced and intelligent persons, youths and persons who have a track record of serving the party in various ways and positions.“At the end of the day, you want persons at the level of the government and at the level of the party who have a predisposition to serve the people. This is what we are about. We feel very strongly that service to humanity is the best work of life.”When asked about units within the party feeling disenchanted with his leadership, Charles said he was not aware of any such feelings. He went on to say he had dealt fairly with all within the party and he will continue to treat all in the same way.When asked for his thoughts on some PNMites calling for a woman to lead, he said it was an “interesting position” because he “didn’t know that age and gender are the only criteria one should use in respect of leadership. There are more fundamental elements of leadership.”He added,“Leadership is ensuring that you work for your people and not for yourself. That is critical and leadership these days is about servant leadership, and that’s what we have been doing.”