PDP to launch GoFundMe campaign for legal fees

The Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) intends to launch a Go Fund Me campaign to cover its legal expenses.

The party has sought legal action to resolve the deadlock in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

But its deputy political leader Farley Augustine told reporters on Thursday the legal fees, thus far, are quite exorbitant.

“When I saw the fees from the lawyers, I said, ‘Well, Farley, all the money you are saving up for house must now go into this case,’” he said during a news conference at James Park, Scarborough. “But I said to myself that it is worth it for democracy.”

So, Augustine said, he intends to put a significant amount of his savings into the PDP’s legal fight.

“I have asked the party to put all that it has, I have asked my colleagues to put all that they have, and I have asked our supporters to put all that they have, to ensure we carry this all the way.”

He claimed four other political parties have also expressed interest in the case.

“Although we are not going against anyone per se, what we are seeking is judicial review and having the court be decisive in terms of what should be done to break the impasse. I expect several other interested parties to get involved.

“And so, I must use your platform now to indicate that within a day or two, a GoFundMe page will be set up, because we are moving our party to the stage of crowdfunding.”

He said this means people can contribute in small amounts, as opposed to using large corporate donors.

Saying the party is also moving to institute what he called a "one-one full basket" policy, Augustine added: “This would be extended into the modern age with crowdfunding to allow it to fund not just the legal case we have going.”

He said the GoFundMe campaign flies in the face of claims made by the PNM, in the run-up to the January 25 THA election, that the PDP was being funded by the UNC.

“Clearly, we eh see that money yet.”

Thursday’s news conference preceded a meeting of the THA at which the PDP and People’s National Movement assemblymen failed, for a third time, to elect a presiding officer.

The assembly has been suspended indefinitely.