TOBAGO DECIDES

Who will represent Tobago in Parliament?

This is the question on everyone’s lips as an estimated 50, 740 Tobagonians head to the polls to vote for the candidates of their choice in today’s eagerly-anticipated general election.

According to the Elections and Boundaries Commission, some 23, 081 people are eligible to vote in the Tobago East constituency while its official list puts the number of voters in Tobago West at 27, 659.

Some 67 polling stations have been established throughout the island for voting.

Since the Prime Minister announced the dissolution of Parliament and the election date on June 3, parties have been intensely campaigning with social media playing a heavy role. Covid19 changed the method of campaigning this elections with restrictions on gathering eliminating the customary mass rallies. Parties have had to be innovative to get their messages across to the electorate.

The People’s National Movement (PNM), which has held power at the level of central government, over the past five years, also leads the Tobago House of Assembly, controlling ten of the 12 seats in the Legislature.

In today’s general election, the party is again fielding 41 candidates, two of whom are from Tobago.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Shamfa Cudjoe and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy represented the Tobago West and Tobago East constituencies, respectively, during the last term.

The women are hoping to repeat their win.

Cudjoe is competing against three other candidates. They are the Progressive Democratic Patriots’ (PDPs) Tashia Grace Burris, a first-timer in the election race; Ricardo Phillip, leader of the Class Action Reform Movement; and Nickocy Phillips, of the Unity of the People.

Cudjoe and Burris, both of whom served in the Tobago Youth Council, many years ago, are expected to vote at the Montgomery Government Primary School at 10 am and 11am, respectively.

Phillip told Newsday Tobago he will cast his ballot at Whim Anglican School at 9 am while Nickocy, the only independent candidate in the race, is expected to vote at the Buccoo Government Primary School at 9.30 am.

In Tobago East, Webster-Roy is being challenged by the PDP’s political leader Watson Duke and One Tobago Voice’s (OTV’s) Juliana Henry-King. Duke is no stranger to the electorate having unsuccessfully contested the 2015 election as an independent candidate. Since then, he has formed the PDP and won two seats at the 2017 THA elections.

OTV is an amalgamation of three political parties: Tobago Forwards; Tobago Organisation of the People; and the Platform of Truth.

It is not contesting the Tobago West seat.

Duke had lost the Tobago East seat to Webster-Roy by a large margin during the 2015 general election . This time around, he hopes to increase his chances of representing the largely rural constituency in the Parliament.

King, who had unsuccessfully contested the seat on a Platform of Truth ticket in the 2015 general election, is expected to vote at the Bethel Community Centre.

The Platform of Truth is led by former chief secretary Hochoy Charles.

Webster-Roy is expected to vote at the Roxborough Anglican School.

In light of the Government’s guidelines to prevent the spread of covid19, polling agents, supervisors and returning officers are expected to take every necessary precaution to ensure the day’s exercise flows smoothly.

Voters are being advised to practice physical distancing at the booths. Although not required by law, voters are being asked to wear a mask. Polling stations open from 6 am to 6pm.