PM to meet THA 12 March 3

THE Prime Minister intends to meet with the 12 Assemblymen of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), incumbent THA Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis and other former top THA officials in Tobago on March 3.

The meetings are scheduled to take place one day after the Senate debates the THA Amendment Bill 2021.

The bill, which was passed by a margin of 20 to 18 votes in the House of Representatives on February 19, has been advanced by the Government as the best solution to break the six-six deadlock in the THA since its election on January 25.

A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister on Sunday, said Dr Rowley "will visit Tobago next week during which time he intends to meet with the 12 recently-elected assemblymen of the THA."

The statement also said Rowley intends to meet with Dennis "and all available former chief secretaries and chairmen of the THA."

No further details were provided about the meetings. The timing of next week's proposed meetings raised questions in the minds of the PDP, UNC and political commentator Dr Winford James.

PDP deputy political leader Farley Augustine said, "We learned of this proposed meeting on March 3 through the media. We have received no request for a meeting or an agenda for such a meeting."

He added that when the PDP receives this information "we will treat with it accordingly."

Recalling that the PDP previously called for such a meeting and/or consultations with the Government, before the THA Bill was taken to Parliament, Augustine said, "The Prime Minister ignored such calls and now seems to want to meet after pushing this bill through both Houses of Parliament."

He opined,"It sure feels like mamagism and a PR stunt." Augustine also said, "It is hard to determine the usefulness of such a meeting after passing this bill and after ignoring everyone in Tobago except his lackeys."

PDP political leader Watson Duke said, "Tomorrow. I will respond."

UNC chairman Dave Tancoo charged, "This is pure mamaguy by the Prime Minister. Why didn't he consult with all the assemblymen before he rushed the THA Bill in Parliament?" He also claimed that Rowley only met with the six PNM assemblymen before the House passed the bill on Friday.

UNC deputy leader David Lee said, "This should have been done before the Prime Minister tinkered with the law on Friday." He asked, "Why now and not before? After the fact you want to have consultation?"

James, who was seen wearing a PDP jersey at a political meeting in Bon Accord during the run-up to the January THA election, said, "The Prime Minister apparently has not indicated what the agenda of his talks will be. All we know is that he will be in Tobago at that critical time and he will be taking the opportunity to meet with the 12 recently elected assemblymen and women."

He continued, "I imagine that they will speak of the tie. I imagine they will speak of what his Government has done in order to break the tie."

James expected there to be feedback from the assemblymen, especially the PDP six, to what the Government and Parliament has done in this regard.

"That looks reasonable to me as the topics of conversation."

James expected there to be pushback if the PDP decides to meet with Rowley.

"The timing suggests there would have been some determination of what the Parliament has come up with, both at the level of the Lower House and the level of the Upper House."

James added it was difficult to anticipate what the outcomes of these meetings would be. He was uncertain whether Rowley's mind would be changed as a result of these meetings.

"If it is to update the assemblymen on what his government has done, then I think that it will be done. How it will be received is a different question."

James said if this scenario plays out, it may not help to resolve the current impasse in Tobago.

He opined that if the PDP senses there is nothing to be gained from this exercise "they may not attend, they might boycott that meeting."

The THA Bill proposes to increase the number of electoral districts in Tobago from 12 to 15. In the House last week, Rowley said the legislation is proposing that the minimum period to call a new THA election will be two months. He also said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar knew there was no provision in the law that allowed for the drawing of lots to elect a presiding officer. He also said Persad-Bissessar showed in her earlier contribution she was confused about the role of the THA's presiding officer to that of the Speaker of the House

Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) corporate communications officer Bobbi Rogers on Saturday said once the bill has been passed and proclaimed, the EBC will be able to do the work which the legislation directs it to do.

Asked whether the EBC would be able to do the work required to create boundaries for three new districts in Tobago and submit a report to Parliament in a shortened period, as required by the bill, Rogers replied, "We're no stranger to operating in limited time-frames."