Tracy denies early collusion against Charles

ELATED to have been elected, new political leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council, Tracy Davidson-Celestine is promising to get the healing process under way within the Tobago Council, in the shortest possible time.

Speaking to reporters outside the Tobago Council’s office in Scarborough on Sunday after the results of the Council’s internal election was announced, Davidson-Celestine said her first order of business is reconciliation.

She noted that as a part of her manifesto, she has a 100-day plan, Mission Critical, which seeks to bring together all the leaders, the officers, those who lost in the elections as well as Tobago East and Tobago West, “so that we can at least start mending whatever divide, or filling whatever gaps that exists within the membership.”

Describing 2020 as a critical year with the general elections scheduled and the THA elections the following year, Davidson-Celestine said, “We want to ensure that we’re organised in a particular kind of way to bring victory to Tobago.”

The new PNM leader acknowledged the strained relationship within the PNM that resulted from the internal elections but did not feel anyone crossed the line.

“The thing is, this was a competition, an election and quite a number of things would have been said. Of course the position was to show that each and every candidate is the best person for the job, but I am of the view that there wasn’t anything said that could cause animosity within the party and I believe that within the shortest possible timeframe, we can treat with whatever issues we have and move forward towards the greater objective.”

Acknowledging that her first congratulatory call came from the incumbent leader Kelvin Charles, Davidson-Celestine said she was not surprised.

“I was travelling from the East onto the West so I didn’t recognise that I was way in front. So when I got that call, I was very pleased that we were in the right direction in terms of winning the election. So, I’m not really surprised but I really thank him for reaching out to me and for expressing congratulations and as I would have indicated to him, I am ready and willing to work with him and his members of his team going forward in the best interest of the party.”

Momentum in Davidson-Celestine’s camp shifted on Friday when she announced that she had gained the support of defeated leadership candidates Joel Jack and Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus.

There have been rumours that there was a collusion between the three camps from inception but Davidson-Celestine denied that.

“I am not aware of any collusions within the three camps from day one. Dr Angus would have put forward her foot to become the political leader and she was very intent on winning; Joel Jack would have also vied for the position and he was also very intent on winning. But one of the common objectives, one of the common goals we had is to ensure that the change that members of the PNM membership were articulating for, that we could cause that change to happen.

“When Dr Angus did not win and when Mr Jack did not win, it was only fitting that they would cause their supporters to give me that support, as I said, we are looking for change within the party.”

Davidson-Celestine reiterated: “I want to say that the rationale for supporting Tracy or supporting me in this election is change, the PNM membership would have articulated for sometime now that we want a new mandate, we want fresh elections and so that was the objective, that was the rationale and of course that was the motivation for getting the support from the other two candidates for political leaders in the race.”

Questioned on promises made to Jack and Angus, she declined to comment, noting that those were “very private discussions at this point."

“In crafting the strategy to bring the party together and in crafting the strategy to win the next set of assembly elections and the general council elections, you would hear us articulating what our plans are to solidify the base of the party and to bring about unity.”

Additionally, just one week ago, the TT Ambassador to Costa Rica had promised to resign her posting, should she win. Questioned about this, she again restated her intent.

“As soon as it's possible. I first have to receive the letter of recall from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and so long as that letter is sent to the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica, then I would be returning to TT. I’m really hoping that that is sooner rather than later.”

She had advice for females in society.

“Everything is possible, you have to be determined, you have to be very passionate about those things that you believe in and go for it. At some point in time the victory will come, at some point in time you will be able to achieve that objective going forward.

“I would have ensured that I have…put forward the hard work and the determination in order to be very successful in this particular instance,” she said.

Davidson-Celestine created history by becoming the first woman to lead the Tobago Council as she got the nod of the party’s membership over Charles. She received 3,050 votes while Charles received 2,042.