A hard no on Tobago bills

THE EDITOR: During the recent budget debate, the Prime Minister promised that in this session of Parliament he would bring back the Tobago Self-Government and Tobago Island Administration Bills for votes. This because he anticipates the support of the five UNC “dissidents” to get him to the three-fifths majority.

As one of those dissidents, who served on the Joint Select Committee on the Tobago bills and who wrote the minority report on the JSC consultations, I want to alert the Prime Minister that his hopes are in vain.

The Tobago Self-Government Bill was debated in Parliament on June 28, 2021, where the usual palaver was delivered by Minister Camille Robinson-Regis about the desire to give Tobago its autonomy.

It was clear to us (the Opposition members on the JSC) that the PNM’s efforts were rushed, merely attempts to be seen to “do something” for Tobago to be held up in a national or THA election. Whether it was something useful or something Tobago wanted or needed was irrelevant.

The minority report was signed by all the Opposition Members of Parliament who participated in the JSC. It raised two crucial points: insufficient consultation and too few people participated because of the covid19 restrictions. There were 21 JSC meetings, but just two days of virtual consultations. In these, 195 people participated, and there were 31 oral submissions.

Given the fact that our population is about 1.4 million, and Tobago’s just over 60,000, we did not feel these numbers were adequate, given also that Tobago has wanted autonomy for so long, and such a process was fraught with the potential for dangerous missteps.

The minority report quoted Chief Secretary Farley Augustine as saying much the same. And he has recently announced that the THA was initiating its own consultation process.

But we are not the only ones who objected. UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh, responding to Robinson-Regis in 2021, listed many prominent Tobagonians, including the current Chief Secretary, economist Vanus James, the late Hochoy Charles, former THA member Deborah Moore-Miggins, former THA secretary Stanley Beard, the Crown Point Business Association, and Dr Denise Tsoiafatt-Angus.

Three years later, in the last few months, several Tobagonians have reiterated their feelings. The THA Chief Secretary has been reported saying (Guardian, November 12) that he wants further discussion with MPs over the bill.

It was also reported, in the Newsday of the same date, that he had “assembled a team to lead the charge for greater autonomy” which would be conducting its own consultations. He described the current attitude to Tobago as asking it to “take a likkle,” but “now is not the time to tell Tobagonians to take a likkle and live long.”

Some of the specific points of contention Farley raised included increased maritime boundaries, a larger share of the national budget (from a maximum of 6.9 per cent to eight per cent), the ability of Tobago to access loans on its own and impose taxes and grant concessions. These sentiments echoed THA Deputy Chief Secretary Faith B Yisrael’s statements on the matter a few weeks earlier (Newsday, October 30).

Another Tobago politician, who holds no seat in the THA, Tsoiafatt-Angus (Newsday Tobago, November 1-3), was more explicit: “These bills must be rejected.” She said without reform of the national constitution, the reform Tobagonians wanted would not be possible.

Tobago's desire for constitutional reform was echoed by economist James (Newsday, August 30), who said his meetings with people from all over Tobago had revealed that the Barendra Sinanan committee on constitutional reform had not addressed the issues they raised. He said the Tobago suggestions had been disregarded like, for example, Tobago should have the right to review laws made in Trinidad and determine whether they were applicable to Tobago.

The problematic issues with these Tobago bills range from the intricacies of constitutional law to national pride. One part of TT believes it has not been sufficiently seen, and wishes its moment in the sun, and equality. Who could argue with this wish? But how can it be done efficiently, and to the benefit of all parties?

On this point, of the importance of a sense of agency, I wish to suggest that Trinidadians also need to weigh in on these bills. We are part of this too, and we deserve a chance to make our feelings known. This is how democracy works. But it seems that the PNM, and the Prime Minister, have very different ideas about democracy than the rest of us.

For this reason, the Prime Minister may not count on my vote to push this hurried, ill-thought out, and unpopular Tobago agenda through.

DINESH RAMBALLY

MP, Chaguanas West