[UPDATED] Chief Secretary on autonomy debate: UNC 'bungling Tobago's business'

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said the UNC has been fumbling and bungling in their oppositon to the "autonomy" bills during its debate in Parliament.

Dennis concurred with PNM Tobago Council political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine who described the UNC’s contributions as ignorant and appalling.

Debate on a Government motion to adopt the committee’s report on the Tobago Self-Government Bill and Tobago Island Administration Bill began in the House of Representatives on Monday and continued on Tuesday.

The bills, which are meant to give Tobago more say in managing its affairs, require a three-fifths majority for passage.

Davidson-Celestine said the contribution of Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh, who led the UNC’s response to the motion, on Monday, showed the lack of interest UNC had in Tobago's affairs.

During his contribution, Indarsingh bungled the names of several Tobago politicians, including Davidson-Celestine, whom he called Celestine-Davidson.

He also referred to Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis as Ancil David

“The UNC representative (Indarsingh) didn’t even know the name of the Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis.

"So, no further explanation is necessary,” Davidson-Celestine said.

Dennis, when contacted about Indarsingh’s blunder, chalked it up to a slip of the tongue.

But similar to Davidson-Celestine, he too complained about the quality of the UNC’s contributions.

“More important than the bungling of any names is the bungling and stumbling in their debate contributions as they try hard to milk their bogus excuse of insufficient consultations given to them by Hochoy Charles (Platform of Truth leader) and Farley Augustine (PDP deputy leader).”

Dennis added: “Just imagine after more than 11 years of Tobago-led consultations, three of which came through a united effort of all Tobago political parties at the time from 2013 to 2016, dozens of meetings involving hundreds of Tobagonians over many, many years, yet the UNC got exactly the excuse they were looking for from Hochoy and Farley.”

Dennis said the “bungling of names is fine while they bungle and fumble with Tobago’s business, aided and abetted by some Tobagonians.”

On Monday, in a media statement issued through the PNM Tobago Council, Davidson-Celestine accused the UNC and PDP of disrespecting Tobagonians by not supporting the legislation.

She added that the UNC, by its refusal to support the bills, has denied Tobago receipt of an enhanced budget allocation and the opportunity to make its own laws.

Davidson-Celestine, who was in Trinidad for the debates, further claimed the UNC and PDP were “trading politics before people.”

On Tuesday, Davidson-Celestine told Newsday the UNC is “uniquely qualified to not speak on Tobago matters.”

She continued: “The quality of Tobago information from the UNC during this debate is appalling. The level of ignorance for the basics sends a clear message that the UNC has total disregard for the people of this island.”