Tracy defends PNM slate

Tracy Davidson-Celestine has hit back at criticism of her slate of candidates for the PNM Tobago Council internal elections.

After filing her nomination papers as political leader on Monday at the party’s headquarters in uptown Scarborough, Davidson-Celestine introduced a full slate contending all 17 positions on January 19.

Moments later, many people took to social media to comment that the team was not “youthful,” but was full of too many past Tobago House of Assembly secretaries and assemblymen.

In an interview with Newsday on Tuesday morning, Davidson-Celestine said members of the slate wouldn’t necessarily be given positions in the assembly.

“They are very youthful people, very ambitious and are members of the PNM. They weren’t ostracised from the PNM in any way,” she said.

But one name on her slate stood out – Handel Beckles, contesting the position of welfare officer.

Beckles served as area representative for Bethel/Mt Irvine and was an assistant secretary in the Division of Infrastructure and Public Utilities for one term. He was also chairman of the party group in Bethel during his time as an assemblyman.

Earlier this year, Beckles, a pastor at Impact Ministries, at Mt Pleasant, was sued by an elderly couple who accused him and others of fraudulently inducing them to hand over more than $500,000.

In May, in the Tobago High Court, Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh ordered Beckles to pay $.3 million to Fitzroy Pantin and Cordella Pantin. The two had accused Beckles, his wife Merle and the church of not repaying a loan for material to expand and improve the church.

Beckles, in his submission, said the Pantins’ money was deemed to be contributions, gifts and tithes given freely and voluntarily to the church, and therefore, the couple was entitled to nothing.

Asked on Wednesday for a comment on Beckles being on her slate, Davidson-Celestine said: “Discussions are currently under way with Mr Handel Beckles.”

Defending her other candidates, Davidson-Celestine said former secretary of sport Huey Cadette, who is vying for elections officer, is currently the youth officer and has held that post for years. She said Deon Isaac (vice chairman candidate) had come from the bowels of the party and was once chairman of the youth council. Davidson-Celestine said there was a balance of youth and experience on her slate, which was part of her “succession planning strategy, so that those who are younger can be trained to take over.”

“Mr (Wendell) Berkley (chairman candidate) has been around for some time now and he has served for many years as vice-chairman.

“What we want, at the end of the day, is to ensure we have a solid foundation in the executive that consists of those who would have continued (to serve) and who would have a wealth of knowledge, to take the party forward.

“Some may say, ‘Handel is there, is it that he’s hoping to run again?’ I think the answer, in this case, is no. Handel is there.”She stressed there is a difference between the executive of the PNM and candidates that will be chosen for THA.

She said it’s not always the case that members of the executive will vie to be area representatives and be chosen as secretary of a division.“The internal election is apart from electing candidates, from selecting people for the THA election.

“We want to ensure we have people who understand the PNM, who would have come from the bowels of the PNM who could help me as the political leader to manage that process in a way that gives us the best candidate to run for the THA elections.”