Duke: No answer from Farley to call to join forces

One day after Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke called on THA Chief Secretary and interim political leader of the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) Farley Augustine to join forces with him to serve the people of the island, he is yet to receive an answer.

Speaking during a news conference on Monday at the PDP’s headquarters at Port Mall in 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.

However, speaking at a news conference at his electoral district office in Roxborough on Tuesday, Duke told reporters that Augustine was yet to respond.

“I have not received a response; I have not gotten any WhatsApp return messages – I do not expect any response. We would call this the running of the mill, I have to run the mill and by doing that, I would be satisfied in my conscience that I’ve done everything I can.”

He added: “It is time that we unite and put Tobago in front of us – Tobago issues.”

Questioned about the views of the constituents to this, he said: “Some folks feel like we should not have any reconciliation at all – straight up, he is a traitor, and the betrayal has gone too deep, those are the real Roxborough-rians. Some of the people in Roxborough, I would say they are mixed they are not purebred Roxborough people, they are not the descendants of Belmana, they are something else – they may have a different view.”

He made reference to the current ongoing unification process within the United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad.

“They bring back Jack (Warner), they bring back – they understand that to beat the PNM, they need a personality. You need a kind of drive, a kind of electricity in the air to take people off the scene.

"I know to myself that even if I was out of politics, my colleague cannot do any damage to the PNM.

"Do not underestimate the PNM. For one, he (Augustine) cannot do any single damage to them. He would find out sooner rather than later that he is nothing in the eyes of the PNM, but it would be too late.”

Duke added: “I am the only solution, the only man that has beaten the PNM, and it was by skill, forethought and strategy.”

Asked if he would be willing to join the TPP he refused to acknowledge the party.

“I don’t know that thing that you’re talking about – a mother is only a mother when they have a child. If you don’t have a child, you’re not a mother. No political party could claim that they’re a party without facing the polls...The name has not even gone on a ballot, so I say ignore that thing that they’ve created.”

Newsday also spoke to a few residents within the electoral district.

Kennon Roberts said, “There is some need, definitely there is some need because both of them built the party together, so I believe they should join it back and hold the fort because if they don’t, they would be destroyed. The PNM is waiting. So if they don’t get their act together, they will lose their seat.”

Bruce Bindley Branch said, “It is time enough, but I think it is too far in a sense, because when you really check it out, Duke was the man that bring his party, he did well and he put Farley in a seat."

Jude Clarke said, “I believe that they’re supposed to sit down and put their differences aside because when the both of them campaigned, they campaigned on a lot of promises and whatever pettiness they have, I don’t believe that they’re supposed to hold Tobago at ransom for that.”