PDP reports 'unity' posters to police

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) deputy leader Farley Augustine said a report has been filed with the police and the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) after political posters insinuating a unity between the UNC and the PDP were plastered across the island.

The posters, coloured yellow and bearing the images of UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, UNC chairman David Lee, UNC MP Roodal Moonilal, PDP political leader Watson Duke, Augustine and PDP deputy Dr Faith BYisrael, were seen on utility poles in Scarborough, Roxborough and Plymouth.

The posters stated, “Together we can” and came just one week before the January 25 THA election.

Similar "unity" posters were seen across Tobago prior to the August 10 general election. The UNC, PNM and PDP all denied knowledge of the posters last year.

The PNM has repeatedly claimed the UNC is a financial supporter and ally of the PDP – a claim which the PDP has vehemently denied. In an interview with Newsday on Monday, Augustine reiterated that the party has no UNC ties.

“We reported the matter because it is actually against the Representation of the People Act. There is a fine and prison sentence attached to doing that,” he said.

In the interim, he said the party is doing its own investigation.

“So far, we have the name of the person and the registration of the car posting these fliers. We should get today, video footage of the person putting it up. The reason why we have not made the information public just yet is because the name coming up is someone from Trinidad, so it means that someone may have purchased the car. The person sold the car but has not transferred the registration.”

He said while attempts were being made to remove the posters in Scarborough and Roxborough, he got information about more in Plymouth.

UNC PRO Kirk Meighoo said the UNC was not responsible for posting anything in Tobago.

“It is an unauthorised use of UNC’s logo and party name. The UNC did not put up the posters and this is fraudulent in fact,” he said, also denying any association with the PDP.

Meighoo questioned why the PNM has been alleging a link between the parties.

“I would like to know what the problem would be if that was so.

"Is she trying to stir up a racist, Calcutta ship-type statement because of her desperation after being exposed by the Auditor General for the corruption in the THA under her watch, or is she trying to say that somehow it is wrong with the PDP to link up with a party in Trinidad?

"That would be quite ironic because they are the PNM, which is a Trinidad party.

"The only party in Tobago which answers to a Trinidad party is the PNM. The PDP and the UNC have no relationship at this point – there is no relationship. I don’t see what would be so wrong if there was, I’m not sure what the insinuation is but it sounds pretty distasteful to us, I must say.”

He added: “The UNC is not contesting any seats in Tobago this time around. The situation is much too fragmented. Our partner in Tobago was the TOP, the Tobago Organisation of the People and since its demise we’ve not waded into the division there, because we all know that whenever the opposition is divided it serves the PNM’s interest.”