PDP's 'Nuttsy' ready for round 2 vs Clarence Jacob

Ten months after his defeat by a slim margin in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election, Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) candidate for Bon Accord/ Crown Point, Joel "Nuttsy" Sampson, is confident he can bring a change that will significantly improve the lives of constituents. Sampson, who lost to PNM's Clarence Jacob by 54 votes on January 25, will battle the same opponent in round two in the December 6 THA election.

In an interview with Newsday on Friday, Sampson, 38, described himself as a “humble individual and multifaceted young man” who is ready to address longstanding issues within his community. Sampson, one of five losing PDP candidates retained for this election, said he has stayed active in the community, distributing hampers weekly and donating book vouchers and devices to students, among other things.

“After the election, I never stopped campaigning. I stayed connected with the community."

This election, which will feature 15 seats instead of 12, has seen the Canaan/Bon Accord electoral district changed to Bon Accord/Crown Point.

Asked what people in the area are lobbying for, Sampson said, "Most of the residents just want jobs, some want proper roads, others want a sporting facility.”

He promises to provide job opportunities for young people, fix infrastructural issues, road rehabilitation and establish programmes and activities to enhance the quality of life for all in the area. “Since I know myself I have always been helping people, that’s why it hurts when I see poor roads, flooding in the streets in Canaan and Crown Point, and people crying out for help. We are in a family in this district and it's time I help my family.” Sampson, whose nickname derives from his love for nuts as a child, acknowledged being a strong PNM supporter in the past and a former ally of his current political opponent.

But he said he became disenchanted with the representation over the years.

“I sat and said I was done with this politics after assisting Jacob. The people deserved more. They weren’t getting the representation they deserved and only a few were benefiting.”

Not long after, Sampson was approached by PDP candidate for Bethesda/Les Coteaux, Zorisha Hacket, with an offer to join their team.

“I decided I could take a chance, so I gave it some thought. When she approached me I wasn’t sure because of the mudslinging and slander involved. But she was sure I have much to offer to Tobago because I’m heavily involved in the community.”

Though his family shared mixed views on his plans to throw his hat in the political ring and cross the floor, he felt strongly in his heart that this was his chance to be the change he would like to see. After weeks of heavy campaigning, his team anxiously looked on from his Canaan office as the votes counted on election night.

“The camp was just tense because the figures were very close. When they came up with the final count I would have lost by approximately 54 votes." The margin of defeat only served to motivate Sampson.

“In 2017 the PNM candidate (Jacob) would have won by close to about 600 votes. I narrowed that gap from 600 to 54 in only two months of campaigning on the ground.” Sampson said he is heavily involved in sports and is the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) head for the daily-rate Tobago WASA workers. Sampson, a Water and Sewerage Authority employee, said his his experience talking on platforms representing and advocating on behalf of workers, made speaking in political meetings come naturally.

The Signal Hill Secondary School alumni recalled his first appearance on the political platform back in 2020. “I remember seeing the crowd and everyone in their black PDP shirt cheering… I was thinking – this is your moment to make a mark. My heart was racing. I needed to make an impression. A lot of people came to see what I had because they never heard of me before.“

As I walked up to the mic they started playing one of my favourite songs and I just started to sing, and the crowd mash-up… Everything flowed smoothly. It’s a magnanimous moment I’ll never forget.”

Sampson said he has plans to create a programme in which residents will work together to build a community they are proud of. If elected, the first item on his agenda would be to host a community meeting to prioritise which issues should be on the front burner for the next four years. Newsday reached out to the PNM to talk to Jacob but was told the interview could not be facilitated at this time.