[UPDATED] Seven candidates bid for 2 Tobago seats

COREY CONNELLY AND KINNESHA GEORGE-HARRY

The battle is on.

Seven people, including two political newcomers, filed nomination papers on Friday to contest the Tobago West and East seats in the August 10 general election. Four candidates are running for Tobago West and three for Tobago East.

The constituencies were last served by the People’s National Movement’s (PNM’s) Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy respectively. Both women are seeking re-election.

Some political pundits believe the Tobago East seat is one of the marginals going into next month’s highly-anticipated election.

This is largely due to the influence of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) which, they believe, has made inroads in the largely rural constituency. In addition, the party, within the past few months, launched a home-repair initiative throughout the island in a bid to woo voters.

In the Tobago East constituency, Webster-Roy is coming up against the PDP’s political leader Watson Duke.

The latter filed his nomination papers at the John Dial Multi-Purpose Facility at around 12.30 pm on Thursday accompanied by his wife, two of his children and scores of supporters, including former People’s Partnership government minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin.

PDP deputy leaders Farley Augustine and Dr Faith B.Yisrael were also on hand to lend support.

Duke said the party is confident of victory in the election, despite the PNM using his pending court matter against him in its campaign.

He claimed the PNM was following the PDP’s home-repair initiative.

“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.” He again defended how the PDP is funding the project saying it was through prudent saving.

Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs), also filed her nomination papers at John Dial.

Accompanied by her husband and three children, Webster-Roy expressed confidence in retaining the seat on behalf of the PNM.

She said her work in the constituency over the past five years speaks volumes, and as a minister bringing the Children’s Authority to Tobago is her biggest accomplishment as a member of government.

“I am aware of the children hurting in our communities. So for me, it became a champion cause to ensure that we have the authority established on the island – not only an administrative building, but bringing to the people of Tobago a reception centre where young people will get all of their examinations done.”

Saying young people will no longer have to go to Trinidad for forensic examinations, Webster-Roy said children who need to be removed from their homes for fear of being in danger and who, previously, had to find places of safety in Trinidad, can now do so in Tobago.

She said the Office of the Prime Minister, Children’s Authority and Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development collaborated on this initiative.

Webster-Roy said she is also especially proud to have laid the gender and development and national child policies as green papers in the Parliament.

She said over the past five years, she has also been able to establish a national policy on HIV/Aids.

“Persons don’t realise that I am also responsible for that portfolio and, with the support of Cabinet, we were able to do those things.”

One Tobago Voice’s Juliana King, who contested the Tobago East seat on a Platform of Truth ticket in the 2015 general election, also filed her nomination papers at the facility. She did so with little fanfare.

The coalition, an amalgamation of three Tobago-based parties, Platform of Truth, Tobago Forwards and Tobago Organisation of the People, did not present a candidate for the Tobago West seat, but has pledged its support to the PDP’s Tashia Grace Burris.

Burris, who submitted her nomination papers at the Calder Hall community centre, told reporters she has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support on the campaign trail.

If elected, the political novice and mother of two promised to bring “real representation” to the Parliament.

She said Tobagonians have not been getting their just due over the years.

“Mr Duke and I are the chief champions of Tobago, so, regardless of the outcome, we would continue to use our voices to fight and defend and ensure that the people of Tobago get performance.”

Cudjoe, the former Tobago West MP, was magnanimous after filing her nomination papers at the Calder Hall Community Centre as she welcomed her challengers.

“As politicians we all step out, put ourselves in the public light and you are out there for people to scrutinise, criticise and so on. So it’s a challenge for everybody, no matter how long you would have been in the game, no matter how experienced you think you are.”

Speaking specifically about Burris, Cudjoe welcomed her to the world of politics.

Cudjoe said she entered frontline politics at 28 and one of her main motives was to encourage other young people, young Tobagonians, and especially young women to get involved in politics.

“So I am pleased to see another young woman coming up and stepping up and throwing her hat into the ring to contest the election, even though she is contesting the election against me.”

Businessman Ricardo Phillip and former Youth TT ambassador Nickocy Phillips also submitted nomination papers for Tobago West as independent candidates.

Phillip said his campaigning will now go into full swing. Saying he is no newcomer, Phillips said he was a candidate in the 2013 Tobago House of Assembly election on a Platform of Truth ticket, while it’s his first go at a general election.

“People are generally sceptical with independent candidates, and independent candidates really reflect or bring to the table new ideas and independent ideas about how we should treat with our own challenges as a country. There are people waiting to hear what I bring to the table.”

Phillips, leader of the Unity of the People, said he is confident of a win.

“I feel very happy because I’ve taken a next step in life and I have a lot of work to do. I may not be able to meet all the people in the constituency, but at the end of the day I would try to meet them as much as I can, be it before or after the elections. The work has only now started.”

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The battle is on.

Seven people, including two political newcomers, filed nomination papers on Friday to contest the Tobago West and East seats in the August 10 general election.

The constituencies were last served by the People’s National Movement’s (PNM’s) Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy, respectively. Both women are seeking re-election.

Some political pundits believe the Tobago East seat is one of the marginals going into next month’s highly-anticipated election.

This is largely due to the influence of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) which, they believe, has made inroads in the largely rural constituency.

In addition, the party, within the past few months, launched a home-repair initiative throughout the island in a bid to woo voters.

In the Tobago East constituency, Webster-Roy is coming up against the PDP’s political leader Watson Duke.

The latter filed his nomination papers at the John Dial multi-purpose facility at around 12.30 pm on Thursday accompanied by his wife, two of his children and scores of supporters, including former People’s Partnership government minister Vernella Alleyne-Toppin.

PDP deputy leaders Farley Augustine and Dr Faith B.Yisrael were also on hand to lend support.

Duke said the party is confident of victory in the election.

Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs), also filed her nomination papers at the John Dial multi-purpose facility.

Accompanied by her husband and three children, Webster-Roy expressed confidence in retaining the seat on behalf of the PNM.

She said her work in the constituency over the past five years speaks volumes.

One Tobago Voice’s Julianna King, who contested the Tobago East seat on a Platform of Truth ticket in the 2015 general election, also filed her nomination papers at the facility. She did so with little fanfare.

The coalition, an amalgamation of three Tobago-based parties, Platform of Truth, Tobago Forwards and Tobago Organisation of the People, did not present a candidate for the Tobago West seat but has pledged its support to the PDP’s Tashia Grace Burris.

Burris, who submitted her nomination papers at the Calder Hall community centre, told reporters she is overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support on the campaign trail.

If elected, the political novice and mother of two promised to bring “real representation” to the Parliament.

She said Tobagonians have not been getting their just due over the years.

Accompanied by a large group of jubilant supporters, PNM Tobago West candidate Shamfa Cudjoe was magnanimous after filing her nomination papers at the Calder Hall Community Centre.

Cudjoe, heartened by the strides made in the constituency over the past five years, wished all of her competitors well.

Businessman Ricardo Phillip and former Youth TT ambassador Nickocy Phillips also submitted nomination papers to contest the Tobago West seat as independent candidates.