THA deadlock remains: PNM changes presiding officer candidate

The People’s National Movement (PNM) has proposed a new candidate for presiding officer of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

The name of the nominee will be revealed at the next meeting of the assembly at 1.30pm on Thursday.

This was the outcome of Monday’s special meeting after the newly-elected assemblymen again failed to elect a presiding officer.

After being sworn in on January 28 at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, the assemblymen later voted for a presiding officer at the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough.

But in four rounds of voting, the People’s National Movement (PNM) and Progressive Democratic Patriots’ (PDP) both rejected the candidates put forward by the other side.

Both parties have six assemblymen in the House after last Monday's THA election ended 6-6.

The PNM had nominated Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) chairman Ingrid Melville and the PDP nominated Division of Sports and Youth Affairs officer Julien Skeete.

At Monday’s meeting, Clerk of the Assembly Myrna Mc Leod again asked the assemblymen to vote for presiding officer.

But after several rounds of voting the House remained deadlocked.