THA 'independents' to launch new political party

ALMOST four months after declaring themselves 'independents' in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), members of the the Farley Augustine-led administration are set to launch a new political party.

A Facebook post on Monday said the launch is to take place on April 4 at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex from 5-8pm.

The news came 12 days after THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris urged Augustine to form a new party so that Tobagonians could go back to the polls.

In a video on Facebook on March 16, Morris argued that the executive’s decision to stay on as independents in the THA was untenable and Tobagonians needed a fresh mandate.

He said the executive was voted into office on a Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) ticket, not as independents."

“We need to say enough is enough and treat with this outstanding matter of persons who went in on a political ticket and are now posing as independents. We need to let them know we did not vote for independents," Morris had said.

The PDP enjoyed a landslide 14-1 victory over the PNM in the December 6, 2021, THA election.

But eight months into its tenure the party encountered a major hitch when its leader, Watson Duke, accused the administration of failing to give financial help to a Roxborough cultural group who had gone to New York to perform and were left without funds.

Duke later stripped Augustine, Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael and Alicia Roberts-Patterson of their positions as deputy leaders of the PDP. He also resigned as Deputy Chief Secretary. BYisrael replaced him.

Augustine and the other members of the THA executive resigned from the PDP on December 5, 2022.