One Tobago Voice to contest general election

One Tobago Voice will be contesting the two Tobago seats in the upcoming general election.

This was confirmed on Tuesday by Platform of Truth political leader Hochoy Charles.

Charles is one of three Tobago politicians who established the coalition in September 2019.

The others are Tobago Forwards political leader Christlyn Moore and Tobago Organisation of the People leader Ashworth Jack.

Charles told Newsday Tobago although One Tobago Voice’s campaign appears to be low-keyed, it has been doing its work.

He said the coalition has already identified candidates to contest the election and the names will be announced in due course.

“The candidates will be known but no election has been called yet. Candidates are already earmarked. We are not jumping to do anything. It is a matter of timing.”

Charles added: “We are quite ready. It is just a question of timing. There is a new normal. The things that you were accustomed to before, they are no longer there again. So, naming candidates and running out there, that is not what the normal is now.”

Charles said the race is not only for those who have already started to campaign.

“We are doing what we have to do right now. You will notice that we are not busy because we don’t want to divide up the Tobago place.

“One Tobago Voice represents Tobago so we are doing everything not to be splitting up and dividing up . Whatever we do, we have to win the election in Tobago. And it will.”

The former chief secretary said the other two parties contesting the general election in Tobago – the People’s National Movement (PNM) and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) – are not truly representing the island’s interests.

“Those two parties are not representing Tobago, and Tobago has to win the election. So, One Tobago Voice must contest the election and One Tobago Voice would have to win the election so that we can make the changes we require here in Tobago and also in Trinidad.”

Charles argued the PNM is not a Tobago party.

“We are talking self-government and we talking Tobago having the right to determine our destiny. So, the PNM not representing Tobago and the PDP is the agent of the other party in Trinidad, which is the UNC. That is the issue.”

He said Tobago One Voice will present candidates to represent all of Tobago.

The PNM and PDP’s candidates, meanwhile, are gearing up for the election.

They have already hosted walkabouts in several villages throughout the island.

The PNM has chosen incumbents Ayanna Webster-Roy (Tobago East) and Shamfa Cudjoe (Tobago West) as its candidates.

PDP leader Watson Duke will fight the Tobago East seat while Tashia Grace Burris will contest Tobago West.