Farley confident ahead of election

TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) head Farley Augustine expressed confidence in the prospects of his Tobago People's Party (TPP) in the upcoming general elections, he told TV6 News on March 18, after Prime Minister Stuart Young announced the April 28 poll.

"We have essentially been lining up all our ducks in a row to ensure that strategically we can win both Tobago East and Tobago West seats."

He said the TPP could provide the best representation in those two seats.

"We are confident and we are going into the election hopeful that (the TPP) will actually retain those two seats, so that Tobago will have a negotiating place of power and that Tobago's business will once again get some supremacy in the national Parliament."

Augustine said on March 23 the TPP will announce its two candidates for the Tobago seats at a special convention.

"So everyone is invited to our convention. It will be the unveiling of our plans for both constituencies and it will also be the unveiling of our new plan to strategically support Tobago's dream for autonomy."

Congress of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar in a voice-note to media houses said he looked forward to the election and to making TT a better place.

He said TT must decide "whether to be lead by propaganda or by performance, whether it wishes to have a better future for us all or whether to allow ten years of failure to go into 15 years."

Ramadhar hailed TT's long history of fair elections.

"I look forward to an election that is without undue events.

"I look forward to us coming together in an attempt to preserve the present and to prepare a future for our children."

He said an election was a very important thing and it had consequences.

"We cannot allow loyalties that have failed us in the past to continue. We must be loyal to our children and our future.

"There is little time, with much work to be done. We have done it before and we will do it again as a people."

People's Empowerment Party (PEP) leader Phillip Edward Alexander in a Facebook post questioned the legitimacy of Young's appointment as PM, which the Office of President had affirmed.

Alleging the PNM's membership was now in open revolt, he said, "The PNM did not call an election. They exploded in full view of the public."