[UPDATED] TPP to name candidates for general election soon

TOBAGO People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ann Natasha-Second says the party will soon announce its candidates for the Tobago East and Tobago West seats in this year’s general election.

In November, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, who is the TPP political leader, announced in a video on social media that the party was opening nominations for the general election.

"We are ready, we are prepared and now it is time for you, the membership of the party, to get involved," he had said.

Nominations closed on January 8.

On the Tobago Updates morning show on January 20, Natasha-Second said the TPP, which was launched in August 2023, is in election mode.

“We have called for nominations and persons did apply to be recognised as potential candidates,” she said.

Natasha-Second refused to say how many people offered themselves as nominees.

“The party is going to publicly announce how many for the East and West and we are going to announce the process that is going to lead to the selection of the candidates. But a number of persons did successfully submit their nominations.”

She said, “I am pleased to say that we have a very strong cadre of Tobagonians, all ages, all professions, who have put their foot forward to try to contest to represent the TPP. So the party will shortly indicate who will be our candidates for Tobago East and Tobago West.”

One of the criteria, Natasha-Second said, was that six financial members of the party must propose candidates for Tobago East and West.

“So you had to come from a party group or be a functioning member of the party. So it is a very democratic process. It shows the ability of the people to organise themselves.

“We have action groups and different councils organised so that persons would have presented who they want, the proposed persons, to be potential candidates.”

Natasha-Second confirmed she has offered herself as a nominee, but refused to say for which constituency.

On the Tobago Updates morning show on January 13, Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development Trevor James said he has been nominated to contest the general election.

“I would make myself available to the people and to the party for either Tobago East or West, because I think we need stronger voices in the Parliament,” he had said.

“I think the solutions to our problems with the Tobago House of Assembly Act and the way the jurisdiction in Tobago is managed is from the Parliament, and no doubt there is a need for stronger voices to articulate the Tobago position in Trinidad and therefore I offered myself.”

On that occasion, James said he expected the TPP “will make a decision shortly, I believe, and hopefully, I will be selected.”

The two Tobago seats are currently controlled by the People's National Movement's Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis (Tobago West) and Ayanna Webster-Roy (Tobago East).

Both have held the seats since 2015 and were selected again by the PNM’s screening committee to contest the seats in the general election.

The PNM Tobago screening was held at the Calder Hall Multipurpose Facility on January 4.

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

TOBAGO People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ann Natasha-Second says the party will soon announce its candidates for the Tobago East and Tobago West seats in this year’s general election.

In November, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, who is the TPP political leader, announced in a video on social media that the party was opening nominations for the general election.

"We are ready, we are prepared and now it is time for you, the membership of the party, to get involved," he had said.

Nominations closed on January 8.

On the Tobago Updates morning show on January 20, Natasha-Second said the TPP, which was launched in August 2023, is in election mode.

“We have called for nominations and persons did apply to be recognised as potential candidates,” she said.

Natasha-Second refused to say how many people offered themselves as nominees.

“The party is going to publicly announce how many for the East and West and we are going to announce the process that is going to lead to the selection of the candidates. But a number of persons did successfully submit their nominations.”

She said, “I am pleased to say that we have a very strong cadre of Tobagonians, all ages, all professions, who have put their foot forward to try to contest to represent the TPP. So the party will shortly indicate who will be our candidates for Tobago East and Tobago West.”