Dr Denise wants to 'heal' PNM

Dr Denise Tsoiafatt-Angus is determined to bring a different style of politics to Tobago to bring healing within the PNM Tobago Council, if she is elected as its political leader on January 19.

Tsoiafatt Angus and Tracey Davidson-Celestine filed their nomination papers last Monday, challenging Kelvin Charles for the political leader position in next month's PNM Tobago Council internal election.

After 21 years of PNM Tobago Council existence, Tsoiafatt Angus wants to see a transformation in leadership style.

“Someone who can analyse and encourage to make changes. But, more so, someone willing to listen and value the contribution of all members,” she said.

In an interview with Newsday on Friday the former THA presiding officer was adamant she will not be involved in any mud-slinging or partake in a dirty election race.

“I cannot heal the party if I’m going out there bad-mouthing the candidates. I think we have to take the politics in Tobago to another level.”

She added she will not be responding to “ any baseless allegations” as “there is a lot that can be said about others. I don’t need to say it because a lot is already in the public domain.”

Neither is she going into this election using aggression.

“Aggression doesn’t always get you what you want. I didn’t have to apply aggression to perform so well as the secretary of community development and culture to getting all those programmes done and creating all those other programmes to benefit the lives of people.”

Tsoiafatt Angus said she is capable of being aggressive if needed but said she has other qualities that will allow her to drive the party forward.

“I can become aggressive if I need to but often you don’t kill bees with vinegar, but you attract them with honey. I don’t need to put forward myself as a man. I am a woman. I have done very well as a mother and I have developed the art of working with people and getting the very best out of them without being aggressive.”

After completing the nomination process on Monday, Tsoiafatt Angus said she will begin campaigning in earnest, approaching members of the party to explain her plans of strengthening the women’s league, establishing programmes to benefit members and valuing the contributions of all members – “even the youngest child.”

Members can also look forward to the modernisation of the party’s internal practices and a new party headquarters, she said.

Tsoiafatt Angus said she is very keen on making PNM Tobago the party of choice for young people.

“They will have opportunities for honing their skills and upliftment.”

This is part of her focus on closing the gap between the leadership and the members in the party.

She told Newsday contesting the post of political leader for a second time is fulfilling her purpose to make a difference in the lives of people. “If you have people as your primary focus then everything that people need to feel valued is what you will do. Sometimes people just want to know you are there with them and for them, even if you don’t have anything to give them.”

A former secretary in the THA and assemblyman under the Orville London-led PNM administration, Tsoiafatt Angus believes her past contribution in Tobago and its people are proof that she is the best woman to lead the council.

“At the end of the day, you can’t take the riches or fame with you. What you take with you is a good name, and you leave a legacy.”

She said her leadership qualities are rooted in lessons garnered from her family business.

“If a customer wanted something that we didn’t offer, my mother would send one of the employees to go buy it at another store, bring it back and sell it back at the same price. It’s always about what we can do to make the lives of people a little easier.”

As a child, she attended Scarborough RC, then went onto Bishop's High School before doing her A-levels at Signal Hill Secondary. She pursued her undergraduate degree at Howard University and then her medical degree at the University of Maryland.

She practised medicine in the US before moving to Jamaica to continue as a medical doctor for another four years. In 2004 she returned to Tobago as the medical director and deputy chairman of the Tobago Region Health Authority. In 2006 she was promoted to chairman of the board.

For her, losing to Charles at the last internal election was a learning experience. While she sat as presiding officer over the assembly legislature from 2013-2017 it allowed her to observe both sides and analyse how the minority operates.

She is now confident her past sacrifices and promises to unite and heal the party will bring her success on January 19. Tsoiafatt Angus said she is ready to restore and strengthen the membership first before leading the party to victory in the upcoming 2020 general elections and the 2021 Tobago House of Assembly elections.