Duke: Tsoiafatt Angus created new party from spite, envy for PDP

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke believes former PNM councillor Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus created the Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) to target his party.

She "created a party out of spite for the PDP, out of envy for where the PDP has reached as an organisation,” he said in a WhatsApp video on Tuesday.

Tsoiafatt Angus, chair of the Tobago Festivals Commission, launched the IDA via YouTube on Monday.

The party was launched seven months after she was fired by the PNM for contesting the Scarborough/Calder Hall electoral district as an independent candidate in the January 25 THA election.

The PNM’s screening committee selected Marslyn Melville-Jack to contest the seat, which she won.

Duke’s stance on Tsoiafatt Angus’ new party contradicted his position when she announced her decision in early January to contest the THA election as an independent candidate.

At that time, Duke said he was not surprised she had decided to throw her hat in the ring.

“Watson Solomon Duke is not surprised; the PDP is not surprised; the right-minded people of Tobago, they are not surprised...I have always seen Dr Tsoiafatt as independent of the PNM. She has been ostracised so many times by the very political gang that swore to protect and promote her interest,” he said then.

Duke also said then the PNM’s treatment of Tsoiafatt Angus was not an anomaly.

“She has finally come to her senses and she is running against the PNM.

"This is not a fight for power. Dr Denise is now running against the PNM gang. She wants to run. She wants to win because the PNM is not nice.”

But on Monday, Duke described Tsoiafatt Angus as a “dead horse,” claiming she is still aligned to the PNM.

“She is, therefore, set out as the decoy to distract Tobagonians into voting PNM.

“But I want to say today that Dr Denise Tsoiafatt is a dead horse and she is contaminated by association. She has been with the PNM for many years. She was there when Kelvin Charles was removed as an elected chief secretary.”

Duke claimed Tobagonians are not interested “in any party she creates.”

Tobago CivilNET welcomed the IDA to Tobago’s political landscape.

“The fact that new parties are rising is a good thing. It shows that we have a democracy where people can put forward themselves and their ideas to the people to lead them. This is not a bad thing. The onus is on all of these parties to convince the people of their worth,” member Xavier Edwards said.

He said in this context CivilNET’s role is to help people get educated about democracy so they can better evaluate the “parties and persons.”

Edwardz said: “We will provide the platform to allow the citizenry to evaluate those who have offered themselves for service through democratic elections and hopefully extract the essence of their hearts and minds so persons can make well-informed decisions.”

He said regardless of the political parties that exist, citizens must acknowledge and embrace their power and collective responsibility toward Tobago’s growth and development.

“No matter which party gets in, Tobago must win.”

Tsoiafatt Angus said her party’s aim is to develop a "new Tobago" based on economic freedom and greater opportunities.

She added this “new Tobago” will be "based on social gratification where the basic and fundamental rights of every human are reflected in the standard of living of every resident."

The former THA presiding officer promised to reveal further details about the new party in the coming weeks.