Duke: PNM mimicking our politics

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) leader Watson Duke, who is contesting the Tobago East seat in the August 10 general election, has accused the PNM of mimicking his party’s style of politics.

Speaking to reporters on Friday before filing his nomination papers at the John Dial Multipurpose Facility, Tobago, Duke said not only is the PNM using his pending court matter against him in its campaign, it is also duplicating several of the PDP’s initiatives.

“I want to say the PNM is not only using my court case. The PNM is also using our style of politicking. They are now offering jackets for sale. They now have hard hats and men on roof and painting,” he said.

“The PNM seem to be using everything that we have done against us. But I say if we are the inventors and we are the owners, we will not be moved.

“It is really confusing who is the real leader. Is it the PDP? I think it is.”

Duke, who was scheduled to arrive at 10.30 am, got there two hours later. He was accompanied by his wife, two of his children and scores of supporters.

The PDP’s Tobago West candidate Tashia Grace Burris and deputy leaders Farley Augustine and Dr Faith BYisrael were also there to support him.

Within the past few months, the party has been on a massive home improvement initiative throughout Tobago in an attempt to woo voters.

Duke has claimed the initiative is being funded from his own pockets, but anyone is welcome to contribute.

Asked again how the initiative is being funded, Duke referred to a statement by Secretary of Settlements, Urban Renewal and Public Utilities Clarence Jacob.

Duke recalled Jacob had said the “two sheets of galvanise that they (PDP) putting on people’s roofs cost $120 per sheet.”

“If he says it cost ($)120 per sheet, I think that as a person who has been working for years, I think I have saved up plenty $150.

“So, we can change plenty $150 roof and that is what we have been doing, changing the $150 roof but leaving the bigger roof for those with the millions and they have not been doing it. So, we have been doing the $150 jobs.”

Burris, who was due to file her nomination papers as the Tobago West candidate at the Calder Hall Community Centre, described the opportunity to serve the people in the constituency as a momentous occasion.

“This is the opportunity for Tobago to understand that in this general election 2020, you have a better choice in the form of the PDP.”

If elected, Burris said she hopes to bring to the Parliament “real representation.

“What we have been getting for a very, very long time is PR (public relations),” she said. “What we have been getting for a very long time is promises.

"So that we have demonstrated outside of office that we can and we will perform and that the people have been crying out and we know that they deserve performance.

“So we are going to bring performance to the Parliament on behalf of the population of Tobago.”

Burris is confident the party will win the two Tobago seats.

“I am quite confident that the Lord has this in the bag for us, that the people of Tobago will make the better choice on August 10, 2020.”

Burris said the work the PDP has been carrying out on the ground is not just about elections.

“It continues long after all of the votes have been counted. This is not just a one-time thing. This is not just a politics thing. This is a people thing, and we need to bring back representation to the people of Tobago.”