THA - Stepping forward correctly

The new Tobago Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine, sounded a proper note regarding the conflicting interests of THA Deputy Chief Secretary and Public Services Association president Watson Duke.

On Friday, Mr Augustine agreed to a three-month grace period for Mr Duke as he exits his leadership role at the PSA in favour of his responsibilities to the newly elected PDP and the THA.

It is not unreasonable for Mr Duke to ask for some time to effect a major change at the PSA, a trade union representing 80,000 public-sector workers in TT, though three months seems excessive.

The PSA itself is moving quickly to clarify how the sitting president operates with divided interests, beginning with the two very different relationships with the Chief Personnel Officer demanded by each role.

On December 7, the PSA stopped payment of benefits and remuneration to Mr Duke, but that does not resolve the legal or ethical issue.

From the moment he was elected into formal office, Mr Duke was effectively neutered as PSA president, which does not serve the association well in any form.

Mr Duke now serves in a limbo of authority, neither PSA nor as yet with any specific THA  portfolio.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has signalled his interest in understanding the details of Mr Duke's role in governance.

It was a week of principled positions in Tobago as former Tobago West MP Stanford Callender resigned as chairman of the Tobago Island Council.

In announcing his resignation, Mr Callender, a 35-year veteran, acknowledged his 16-member council's collective responsibility for the crushing defeat and urged his fellow executive members to resign. He was joined by Kurt Salandy on Wednesday and by Saturday, other executive members were also stepping down.

But the PNM council's political leader, Tracy Davidson-Celestine, declined to participate in what she called a "haphazard approach" to the party's problems and described Mr Callender as leaving the party "in the face of adversity and challenges."

Mrs Davidson-Celestine defiance of her elder's advice is another demonstration of an attitude that was evident in her industrious unseating of Kelvin Charles as Chief Secretary and the cold-shouldering of a key supporter in that election, Dr Denise Tsoiafatt-Angus, who was then expelled by the party for facing the polls as an independent candidate.

The perception of the PNM during the yearlong six-six deadlock is entirely Mrs Davidson-Celestine's responsibility. Whatever she herself may think of her efforts, the electorate made clear it was not impressed by her achievements during that period, and she might do well to consider this during a period of reflection and rebuilding.

Moreover, to stick around in the face of clear and overwhelming rejection of her leadership of the Tobago Council does the PNM no favours and doesn't position it as a party ready to rebuild its relationship with the people of Tobago.