Tobago Business Chamber: Early election date meant to catch UNC off guard

THE Tobago Business Chamber believes Prime Minister Stuart Young’s decision to announce April 28 as the date of the Trinidad and Tobago’s next general election is meant to catch the United National Congress off guard.

“One can only imagine that the intention and thinking behind the calling of the election with such a short lead time with the election date being announced as April 28 is definitely intended to catch the Opposition maybe unawares or flat-footed or at least certainly not ready yet with their full list of 41 candidates because they have not yet announced a full list of 41 candidates,” chamber chairman Martin George said in a video via WhatsApp on March 18.

He noted the UNC said they are not even thinking of contesting in Tobago.

“So not even the 39 that one would imagine they would have, they seem to be ready with it. So I think that’s part of the thinking behind new Prime Minister Stuart Young making this announcement.”

But George believes there is more than enough time for the Opposition to get its house in order in terms of finding suitable candidates for the respective constituencies.

“Of course, it is going to be interesting because they are forming an alliance of sorts with the trade union movement. They are forming an alliance with the PEP (People’s Empowerment Party) and there were some overtures initially by Gary Griffith but those did not pan out.

“They are also seeking to form some loose alliance possibly with the Congress of the People or the Congress of the People is seeking to form some sort of alliance with them.

“But any which way one looks at it, it really comes down to the question of two dominant parties – that is the PNM and the UNC – with whatever version of accommodation or coalition the UNC may form with the other smaller parties.”

George believes the UNC “are basically trying to stitch together some hasty alliances.

“And of course, one will have to see how that pans out on polling day.”

He continued, “The reality is from this point on, the ruling party, they are moving from a position of strength and readiness and organisation and I think everybody else is playing catch up.”

George said the Farley Augustine-led Tobago People’s Party (TPP), which holds its special convention on March 23, also have not even been able to find a suitable candidate for Tobago West yet.

“The two who had offered themselves, the TPP appeared not to be so enamoured with them as choices and they indicated that they have to cast the net wider and deeper to look for another suitable candidate to represent them for Tobago West.”

He expects all of the parties to make a slew of promises on the campaign trail.

“It really is the silly season and the election bell has been rung and we, of course, wait to see the plethora of platform promises which will emanate from all sides. Everybody will be promising the electorate the sun, the moon, the stars. But the reality would be a question of who can deliver what the electorate thinks would most matter to them.”

George said the pressing issues are crime and the economy.

“We have several serious issues and challenges facing the nation and the incumbent government would say that they have done the best that they could and give them another term.

“And, of course, the Opposition parties will be saying no, no, no, you have had more than enough time and have not been able to fix these problems. They continue to bedevil the nation, time for new blood, new faces, new changes.

“But how much of a new look is it? Even with the Cabinet reshuffle yesterday (March 17), instead of it being a new, young party, it was basically the same old, same old to a large extent with a few minor adjustments.”

Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Curtis Williams said members were shocked by the announcement.

“This is definitely a shock to us. We knew the election is due this year but within 24 to 48 hours of the PM’s resignation? This is a shock to us,” he said via WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, Progressive Democratic Patriots political leader Watson Duke has confirmed that he will contest one of the two Tobago seats in the next month’s general election.

But he said he is not yet ready to reveal which seat.

Duke said he has been canvassing the island and is confident of the party’s chances at the poll.