Minority Leader pledges to work in Tobago's best interest

Minority leader in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Kelvon Morris is pledging to work in the best interest of Tobago and its people.

On the Tobago Updates morning show aired on social media, Morris
said, “What is good for the people of Tobago, we would give the government of the day full support. And what we believe is not so good for Tobago, we will call them to account and also provide alternative solutions. So it would not be opposing for opposing's sake, but we would provide alternative solutions (as) required as well.”

In the January election, Morris was sworn in as an assemblyman for the now defunct Black Rock/ Whim electoral district. This time, he is the lone People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate to have won his Darryl Spring/ Whim seat, when the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) defeated his party 14-one.

He was sworn in as the minority leader.

“It’s still really a lot to take in for me....I am new to representational politics, and I would have never imagined in this lifetime that in such a short space of time I would have had to take on the role or any leadership role at this time, much less minority leader. As fate would have it, I’m here and ready and able to go forward.”

Under the Constitution, the 37-year-old also had to select one councillor. Though many names were cited by people on social media about who the choice should be, Petal Daniel- Benoit was sworn in and he believes she was the best fit.

“Mrs Benoit allows us the opportunity for a fresh start – for us to really hit the reset button and go forward with a fresh mandate, fresh new ideas, a new signal to all of Tobago that we would have understood the messages of the election, and we are ready to really start that rebuilding process.”

Over the weekend, the party’s executive saw the resignations of PRO Kwesi DesVignes, lady vice-chair Marslyn Melville-Jack, and welfare officer Ricardo Warner. Chairman Stanford Callender and education officer Kurt Salandy, stepped down on Wednesday last week.

But Morris says, "Now is a time for the PNM to heal and rebuild rather than to really disintegrate where you have this mass movement away from the PNM. Now is the time for us to really come together as a party.

"I am the one to lead the charge when it comes to the Minority and what we do in the THA legislature, and I would do that to the best of my ability. But of course, you know there are many elements to political leadership and to the structure of the PNM. And of course you know that we are an institution 65 years strong. We’ve been in this position before. This is not an unusual position for the PNM.”

Does he think the political leader should also step down?

“I do not think that is my call for Kelvon Morris as an individual. As you know, the party membership decides who leads the party at the end of the day.”