PDP to PNM: All bets off, no bargaining for THA positions

ALMOST two months after the results of the January 25 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election ended in an unprecedented tie, the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) has declared it is no longer interested in bargaining with the People’s National Movement (PNM) for any positions in the assembly, including that of chief secretary and presiding officer.

The PDP declared its position on Saturday after the PNM’s Tobago Council’s rejected the party's proposal to invite independent mediators to preside over power-sharing negotiations until a solution to the six-six deadlock in the assembly is reached.

The PDP made the request in a statement last Thursday, a day after talks for a power-sharing agreement broke down in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough.

The party, in its statement, had also called for power-sharing talks to resume on Monday.

In a statement on Saturday, the PNM Tobago Council said it was “uncomfortable” with the PDP’s proposal to have independent mediators at the deliberations.

It further quoted political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine as saying both parties must find a workable solution to the impasse without the involvement of mediators.

“We need to set aside personalities, egos and personal political ambitions if we are to find a workable solution. This calls for a level of maturity, humility and understanding that Tobago expects from its political leaders,” she is quoted as saying. “The Tobago PNM is, therefore, uncomfortable with the proposal to utilise mediators at this time, in our efforts to resolve the impasse.”

She argued if the 12 assemblymen send the signal that they cannot resolve the impasse on their own initiative, “we could be hard pressed to convince that Tobago public that we will be able to engender the level and quality of collaboration that will prevent the administration from descending into chaos after any ‘arrangement.’”

As such, the PNM, in the statement, proposed that the 12 assemblymen return to the negotiating table “at a date and time to be determined, after discussions between the two political leaders.”

Davidson-Celestine, who won the Lambeau/Signal Hill seat, reiterated “good governance” for Tobagonians must be underpinned by the rule of law as enshrined in the THA Act 40 of 1996.

She said under the act, the chief secretary has responsibility for the executive council and to the electorate for the performance of its members.

“It will, therefore, be counterproductive if the chief secretary was not afforded the flexibility to appoint secretaries and assistant secretaries, in his or her sole discretion.”

Davidson-Celestine argued “any other arrangement will lead to the formation of a parallel executive council and a chief secretary with maximum responsibility and minimal authority.”

She also said the PNM is concerned about the PDP’s proposal to claim two of the three councillors in the House.

“This arrangement will give the PDP the majority in the House and the option to move a vote of no confidence and remove the Chief Secretary or the Presiding Officer at their convenience.”

But in Facebook live video on Saturday, PDP political leader Watson Duke took umbrage at the PNM’s insistence on referring to the “rule of law” to hold on to office.

Training his guns on Davidson-Celestine, Duke declared: “This is not a dolly house where she gets to move the pieces all around and say, ‘This is Mama, this is Dada, comb the baby hair, change the baby diapers. This not a dolly house. What is wrong with Tracy?”

He continued: “I want to serve Tracy notice and all her gang notice, that from today (Saturday) all deals are off, all bets are off. When we are coming to negotiate and we are saying yes, we want to negotiate. But we are negotiating from zero now.”

Duke, who retained the Roxborough/Delaford seat in the THA election, declared all positions are up for grabs.

“We are making no demands on any position and so you must not make any. Let us come to the table. “You want to follow the rule of law, let’s follow the rule of law.

“But when you come to the table, you come to the table not as a secretary but as an assemblyman without any power.”

After the Prime Minister’s meeting with the assemblymen at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Tobago, on March 3, the PDP had said it was willing to give the PNM the positions of chief secretary and presiding officer to move the business of the assembly forward.

Now, Duke said all 12 assemblymen must come to the table to decide who will get the positions.

“Let’s see if you support our pick for presiding officer. Let’s see if you will support our pick for chief secretary. Let’s see if you want your way only.”

Duke insisted Davidson-Celestine cannot control the negotiations.

“Who continues to rule the THA is the old executive and we don’t care who they are and what their name is, what we know is that they are wrong. They are illegal to be there.”

The PDP leader has also threatened to seek a solution to the impasse through regional and international fora, including Caricom, the United Nations, European Union and African Union.

“We are going to appeal to everyone we know out here because the people of Tobago must not continue to suffer.”

Duke also questioned the timing of the assent of the THA Amendment Bill 2021 by President Paula-Mae Weekes on March 16.

The bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives and Senate on February 19 and March 2, respectively, paves the way for a fresh election.

The legislation also proposes to increase from 12 to 15 the number of electoral districts in Tobago, reducing the likelihood of deadlocks in future THA elections.

Duke said while he considered the Prime Minister a respectable man, he felt ashamed to know that while the assemblymen were meeting on last Wednesday to decide on a way forward, “letters were sent to the President to give assent to 15 seats.”

He added: “Those 15 seats that the Progressive Democratic Patriots’ reject, we have the Prime Minister and his gang sending it up to the President to be assented to. The next step is the proclamation.”

Although the President has assented to the bill, Cabinet has to advise her on the law should be proclaimed. The Attorney General this week said the progress of the Constitution Amendment Bill on Tobago self-government in Parliament will play a role on when the THA bill becomes law.