Where goes Tobago now?

THE EDITOR: So, what’s next for Tobago and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) now that all the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) assemblymen, except Watson Duke, have resigned from the party?

Basically, nothing at this point. The only possible immediate change is Duke replacing PNM' s Kelvon Morris as the minority leader. However, I don't think this would happen. I believe Duke won't be interested in that position at this time because (a) he (rightly) believes he was not elected to be in opposition, and (b) it would compromise his attempt to grow the PDP in Trinidad, something he is putting a significant amount of time and effort into these days.

If I am mistaken and he decides he is interested in being minority leader, and the current minority leader Morris does not want to relinquish the position, then the President has to make the decision.

According to the THA act, "Immediately after administering the oaths of office to the Chief Secretary and the Deputy Chief Secretary under section 8, the President shall appoint as minority leader the assemblyman who, in his opinion, commands the support of the largest number of assemblymen who do not support the Chief Secretary."

In this regard if Duke does not support Morris and vice-versa, since the act makes no provision for equal support among/between those not supporting the Chief Secretary and Deputy Chief Secretary, the president must find a tie-breaker that will be satisfactory to both assemblymen and their respective parties.

If this is not done or cannot be done and the President makes an appointment, the assemblyman who loses out would have a legal argument for challenging the President's decision. If the challenge is successful, would this result in a constitutional crisis seeing that the assembly will have no minority leader?

Further, would the fact that a minority leader cannot be appointed be sufficient grounds for calling fresh elections? I leave the answers to those lawyers who are currently gleefully rubbing their hands and whose irises have now transformed into dollar signs.

Other than that, the assembly will continue to function as normal and Farley Augustine will remain Chief Secretary and Dr Faith BYisrael Deputy Chief Secretary as long as the majority of elected members support them. This is because the THA does not have a crossing of the floor act.

However, while there is no sound basis for a legal challenge, other than the probable one mentioned above, if Augustine and company chose to remain in office for the entire term, the moral question is whether they should, since they were elected on a PDP ticket.

No doubt Farley and company's next step will be to form a new party (or as a friend suggested tongue in cheek, join the PNM). But is it okay for Tobagonians to be governed for the next three years by a party for which they did not vote?

You tell me.

CLAUDE A JOB

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