TPP deputy: Last time for change, don't waste vote

TOBAGO People’s Party (TPP’s) deputy political leader Dr Faith Brebnor told supporters on March 24 that next month’s general election may be their last opportunity to “change the course” of the island.

“Do not waste it,” she urged them in her address at the party’s special convention and campaign launch at Rovanel’s Resort, Store Bay Local Road, Bon Accord.

The TPP has announced retired assistant fire chief David Thomas and Secretary of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport Joel Sampson as its candidates for the Tobago East and Tobago West seats, respectively, in the April 28 general election.

Brebnor said, “I hear people talking about they don’t like to vote for general election and they go wait until THA (elections). But by the time the THA comes, we may have nothing to vote for. Do not waste it.”

She said the government’s handling of the displacement exercise to facilitate the expansion of the ANR Robinson International Airport is just one of the reasons why Tobagonians should vote against the PNM.

Brebnor, who is also the Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection, recalled that one of the meetings for the displaced residents of Canaan/Bon Accord/Crown Point, took place in the same room where the convention was held.

She said she was a minority councillor at the time and made it her business to go to Rovanel’s even though she was affected by the project.

“I heard them talking about the airport and not just the airport, because we have no issue with the airport. I heard them talking about relocation of the people.

“And I leave my house in Belle Garden, when nobody wasn’t talking about relocating anybody from Belle Garden. But I made it my business to come down here to listen to them and I sat in this room and I saw the member for Tobago East (Ayanna Webster-Roy) and the member for Tobago West (Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis) sit quietly in a corner.”

Brebnor said Webster-Roy and Cudjoe-Lewis “sat and they allowed what happened here with those residents to happen.

“They sat quietly. I see them with my own two eyes. Nobody ain't tell me that story.”

She recalled Finance Minister Colm Imbert had responded to questions from the residents.

“I heard the Minister for Finance, when they started asking him questions about the airport, the one thing he coulda boast about, the one thing he could have boasted about as it relates to this airport is the fact that they saved – and he hit his chest – $46 million because that is what they had budgeted to pay Tobago people (for the displacement exercise).

“But they didn’t, and those two, allyuh MP for Tobago East and MP for Tobago West, sat quietly in that Cabinet and accepted that.”

She said the TPP’s symbol, an anchor, represents the importance of identity, strength, spirituality and resilience of the people of Tobago, within the national context.

“Tobago people, I go back to the first thing I said. This may be the last time you have an opportunity to positively shift and change the trajectory of this island. Do not waste it.”