Economist James: PNM failed Tobago

KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

ECONOMIST Dr Vanus James said the PNM has failed Tobago on all fronts in the last five years.

“What allyuh voting for PNM to do now?” James asked as he spoke with Newsday after the Prime Minister’s announcement of the August 10 general election.

James said: “What are they coming to tell us? 'Vote for me to continue the destruction of Tobago?' It is time for the PNM to be thrown out of office given the disaster that they’ve created here in Tobago.”

He said it came as no surprise to him when the election date was announced.

“Rowley spent the whole term complaining that Kamla mash up the country, so with covid19 and he spending plenty money, he think he could win, so he called it early.

“I could understand why he called the election, I’m not surprised. I thought it would be either early or in December, but early makes sense,” he said.

James said PNM can win the general election but they've not earned the right to govern for another five years.

“They do stand a chance but the people of Tobago ought to throw out the PNM and start afresh. There is no chance the evidence supports giving the PNM another term in office. The time has come to kick them out and start something different.

"What they’re doing is really not doing us any good, they’re just destroying the prospects for young people. This is no time to play around with the future… you have to get rid of the PNM otherwise there is no way for Tobago to go forward.”

He said the PNM was given five years to deliver more autonomy but they have come back empty-handed with the Tobago Self-Government Bill lapsed.

“The record is simple… we paid (former Tobago West MP Shamfa) Cudjoe $3 million worth of salaries and we pay (former Tobago East MP Ayanna) Webster-Roy $3 million worth of salaries, plus we pay (Prime Minister Dr Keith) Rowley $5 million worth of salaries. That is $11 million to go and deliver internal self-government and they did not deliver none.

“This group of representatives… the most useless group of representatives I have ever seen sent to Trinidad from Tobago. Worse than Basil Pitt (former Tobago West MP 1961)… the most useless group and we pay them the most money. They promising and they haven’t even brought the bill to Parliament… the decency, they ent even bother with that.”

The Tobago Self Government Bill, introduced in March 2018, was referred to a joint select committee when Parliament was dissolved.

James said the PNM also failed in revitalising tourism on the island.

“They come back with excuses saying is Tobagonians don’t like Sandals."

Sandals Resort International pulled out of its Tobago project citing negative publicity after public dissent in some quarters over environmental concerns and the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government.

“They destroy Canaan/Bon Accord community unity… what they coming to Tobagonians to tell them, to vote for what. I think any information they come with should be rebuffed by the citizens.”