Tracy: 'Who is really the leader of the PDP?'

Who is really the leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP)?

PNM Tobago Council political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine asked this question on Friday night during a political meeting at the Bethesda Multipurpose Facility, ahead of the January 25 THA election.

She said at the signing of the Code of Ethics, which was presided over by political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath, earlier that day, she was shocked to hear, perhaps through a slip of the tongue, PDP deputy leader Farley Augustine announced as the party’s leader.

“This morning (Friday), we went to Channel Five to sign the Code of Ethics and I was of the opinion that Watson Duke was the political leader because we have not heard of any elections taking place in the PDP to elect a new political leader for the party,” she told supporters.

“But strangely enough, the gentleman was introduced as the political leader of the party. And I am asking myself the question, ‘When did that election take place?'”

Davidson-Celestine added: “And so, one day Farley is the political leader. Another day he is the deputy political leader. Another day he is something else.

"You have be asking yourself at the end of the day, what really is going on in the PDP?”

After the PDP’s defeat in the August 10 general election, Duke had announced that Augustine would lead the party’s campaign in the THA election. He has said Augustine will be elected Chief Secretary if the party wins.

Duke and Augustine are again contesting the Roxborough/Delaford and Speyside/L’Anse Fourmi/Parlatuvier seats, respectively.

Davidson-Celestine, who is contesting the Lambeau/Signal Hill seat, believes the PDP is not a stable party.

“All would know that within the PNM, based on our constitution, we have a process that each and every one of you will sign on to and you will come out and give support in a very democratic way to choose the person who will lead the elections and who will lead the organisation going forward.

“But when you look at them on the other side, you are not even very clear as to what is the approach that they will use to give you, the people, the assurance that if it is they are to take over the Tobago House of Assembly, that they will manage the affairs of us in a particular way.”

She described the PNM as a well-organised party that has been in existence for 65 years.

“But what do you have on the either side, ladies and gentlemen? You have a pick-up team of people who are saying to you, ‘Give us a chance to lead the Tobago House of Assembly.’”

In her address, Davidson-Celestine said the PNM intends to establish special companies to drive Tobago’s development.

“One of the things that we recognise in the Tobago space is that we do not have the vehicles to move some of the development forward and most of the times we have found ourselves having to do all of the work within the confines of the division.

“What we have to do now is to ensure that we create some companies to ensure that we can advance Tobago’s development even further.”

Davidson-Celestine said business expansion is a must. because the THA simply cannot afford to employ all of its citizens.

“And so we. as a people, have to get up and get and we have to be in a position to become more entrepreneurial in spirit. We have to be in a position where we can drive business development.And that is why I am saying that as a part of our priority going forward, we have to treat with the expansion of businesses.

“We have to be in a position to grow some more industries in order to generate employment for our people out there.”

She also announced that a foreign direct investment unit will be created to expand tourism “so that they can start seeking out investment in hotels, sites and attractions, developing tourism clusters on the island, all in an effort for us to have an industry and create more employment.”