Take the lead, Tobago

WE WELCOME the power-sharing proposal put forward by the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) which, in principle, is a refreshing and potentially fruitful approach to governance.

The proposal is modest and at the same time generous. It would see the People’s National Movement (PNM) allocated the powerful positions of Chief Secretary and presiding officer. In exchange, the PDP would be allocated the key position of Secretary of Finance, as well as Deputy Chief Secretary and two of the three councillors. Other positions would be equally allocated.

Though some lawyers feel otherwise, there is nothing in any of this that would go against the letter or spirit of the law. The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) falls within this country’s long democratic tradition, one which has been heavily influenced by the Westminster system. That is a system long governed not only by statutes but also practices and conventions – many unwritten – which have regulated legislatures throughout the Commonwealth.

Lack of explicit sanction in the law is not the same as an explicit ban. In other words, the existing legal matrix leaves room for this arrangement, which would resemble a coalition government or even proportional representation.

Those who see practical, as opposed to legal, impediments in the PDP arrangement are perhaps influenced by the historical animus that has often been shown to local coalitions. At various points, political naysayers have often unilaterally declared coalitions to be unworkable or unstable or somehow dangerous.

Yet the most recent example of such a government had the longest individual term of any government in our recent history: Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s administration lasted a full five years, from 2010-2015.

That said, the PDP arrangement should be governed by a special accord. Such an accord can stipulate dispute-resolution procedures and outline mechanisms for dialogue between the parties. A key complaint made by minority entities during the People’s Partnership government related to the need for more regular communication between individual members.

There are, in fact, practical reasons why a power-sharing arrangement should be embraced, not avoided. One is the uncertain timeline for the next THA election under new boundaries. The legislation recently passed will have to be proclaimed before action can be taken by the Elections and Boundaries Commission. The latter will then have its own timeline and processes to be worked through.

A non-adversarial approach, which is not the same as a “kumbaya” moment, would be a refreshing change given our national politics. Increasingly in recent years, much of our governance has been dominated by blind partisanship, nasty smears, ad-hominem attacks and disgraceful exchanges in Parliament.

All over the world, power-sharing is a way to keep officials in check. Because Tobago does not have the same demographic divides as Trinidad, it is in a unique position to show Trinidad the true power of co-operation; to lead by example.