[UPDATED] Duke: Silence will brand Farley 'political enemy'

PROGRESSIVE Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke says if Tobago People’s Party (TPP) interim political leader Farley Augustine does not agree to meet with him to discuss the island’s future, “I will have no choice but to brand him and his party as political enemies of the PDP.”

During a news conference on Monday at the PDP’s headquarters, Port Mall, Scarborough, Duke told reporters he had written to Augustine asking that they reconcile their differences in the interest of Tobago’s development. He said the message was sent via e-mail and WhatsApp.

Saying he expects Augustine to respond within a “reasonable” timeframe, Duke warned, if he chooses not to, “Going forward, there will be no more letters coming from me.

“So this is not one where I am begging. This is a very mature letter.

"He has done so much to the PDP that I should hate him for life, but I have forgiven him, and I have said in the letter, let bygones be bygones.”

Augustine and the other PDP members of the THA resigned last December and later formed the TPP.

Duke said he “will not forgive the lost opportunity for us to build a better Tobago, child by child, family by family. What I will not forgive and forget is this opportunity to place people before politics.”

Asked about the timing of his gesture, Duke said, “Now is the time when he is on trial, and he is failing miserably at bringing autonomy to Tobago. He said he is going to do it with the Prime Minister, and now he is not speaking to the Prime Minister. He is operating as if he is an enemy to the Prime Minister...

"He is lost and needs guidance. But the elements of past political parties that surround him will continue the misguidance.”

He added his gesture at reconciliation is not a call for Augustine to return to the PDP.

“I am speaking reconciliation of two human beings that are apparently on different objectives. I am not talking party. I am not talking what they have, nor the PDP. I am just talking us meeting and putting Tobago first. It has nothing to do with Farley rejoining the PDP.”

Duke, assemblyman for Roxborough/Argyle, claimed Augustine has never officially left the PDP.

“He has never written any resignation to the party chairman (Dr Sean Nedd) or anyone in the party stating he resigned. But what he did on the outside certainly is not according to our constitution.

“We are not asking him to come back over to the PDP side, and we are not going anywhere. We are simply saying, 'Let us put Tobago first.'”

Duke said he gave Augustine an opportunity serve the PDP at the highest levels, “thinking he will do the best possible job, but instead he is not doing the best job.

“To do the best job should require us to put our collective heads together so iron could sharpen iron.”

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

PROGRESSIVE Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke says if Tobago People’s Party (TPP) interim political leader Farley Augustine does not agree to meet with him to discuss the island’s future, “I will have no choice but to brand him and his party as political enemies of the PDP.”

During a news conference on Monday at the PDP’s headquarters, Port Mall, Scarborough, Duke told reporters he had written to Augustine asking that they reconcile their differences in the interest of Tobago’s development. He said the message was sent via e-mail and WhatsApp.

Saying he expects Augustine to respond within a “reasonable” timeframe, Duke warned, if he chooses not to, “Going forward, there will be no more letters coming from me.

“So this is not one where I am begging. This is a very mature letter.

"He has done so much to the PDP that I should hate him for life, but I have forgiven him, and I have said in the letter, let bygones be bygones.”

Augustine and the other PDP members of the THA resigned last December and since formed the TPP.

Duke explained, “I am speaking reconciliation of two human beings that are apparently on different objectives. I am not talking party. I am not talking what they have, nor the PDP. I am just talking us meeting and putting Tobago first. It has nothing to do with Farley rejoining the PDP.”