[UPDATED] Duke: PDP to contest every election in Trinidad and Tobago

FILE PHOTO: PDP political leader Watson Duke.
FILE PHOTO: PDP political leader Watson Duke.

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader and deputy chief secretary Watson Duke has revealed the party intends to contest every election in this country after its landslide victory over the People's National Movement (PNM) in the December 6 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.

The PDP, which was established in 2016, won 14 of the 15 electoral districts in the election.

Duke, who is also the outgoing president of the Public Services Association (PSA), made the revelation in a video on Thursday as he cleared his office at the association's Abercromby Street headquarters in Port of Spain.

He is expected to officially demit office on December 31 to take up full-time duties as THA deputy chief secretary and assemblyman for the electoral district of Roxborough/Argyle.

Industrial relations professional Leroy Baptiste has been appointed as the new PSA president and will assume duties on January 1, 2022.

Buoyed by the PDP's resounding victory, Duke said the PDP's influence as a political party will be felt in Trinidad.

He told his detractors he will not be defeated.

"There is nothing that you can do to me to weaken me. I was built for this. I was made for this and for those in Trinidad who are looking for a choice, I want you to know that the PDP will be coming to Trinidad very soon," he said.

"And when we come, then you will know it is a different type of thing because we don't have members in the PDP. We have Spartans. The other organisations they have members but the PDP, we do not have members. We have Spartans."

He added, "We intend to contest every election in Trinidad. This is Trinidad. This is Tobago. we must look to create a new relationship that will see Tobago and Trinidad as real partners. Not a senior partner and a junior partner. We want to create true unison that is meaningful and allows citizens to a access every single service without fear or favour, affection or ill will, a red party card or a yellow party card."

Duke said despite talk from his "haters," the PDP still won the election overwhelmingly.

"See what they did in Tobago. They talk talk, talk and what happened, they got licks like fire."

He added his Game Changers slate also won the last PSA election.

"In the last PSA election they talk this they talk that. What they did not talk is what they forget to say and they got licks like fire."

Duke recalled he contested the PSA election in 2009 and became president "to pursue the interests and the welfare of all members of the PSA "and to address issues affecting public servants.

He said he was sad to leave.

"But for the thousands of workers out there who have come to know me and love me, I wish to say I love you too."

Duke assured members that under Baptiste's leadership the PSA will be in good hands.

"Mr Leroy Baptiste is like brother to me and we spent many years at WASA labouring together, fighting on behalf of workers."

Duke also promised to continue to support the working class in his role as THA deputy chief secretary.

"As the deputy chief secretary and as the chief servant, I will continue to speak on workers' behalf, whether I am the deputy chief secretary or not because workers are the backbone of any country and I do not know how to betray workers."

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"[UPDATED] Duke: PDP to contest every election in Trinidad and Tobago"

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