CHIEF SECRETARY Farley Augustine has welcomed a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Tobago.
The UAE delegation arrived in Tobago on January 25 following a visit to Trinidad the preceding day.
Augustine, Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John, Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence Dominic Smith, and Assemblymen Zorisha Hackett and Trevor James, officially received the delegation at the ANR Robinson International Airport to begin a day-long exploration of some of Tobago’s key development projects.
The first stop was at the historic Fort King George, where the delegation was also treated to Ah Taste of Tobago’s Heritage cultural show.
This significant visit follows a productive day in Trinidad, where the UAE delegation met with Cabinet Ministers to tour major investment sites, including Invaders Bay, the Port of Point Lisas, and the Couva Children’s Hospital.
The delegation is visiting Trinidad and Tobago to explore potential opportunities for investment.
A TT delegation, led by John, Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers and Minister of Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein, visted the UAE in November in an effort to woo investors to TT.
THE EDITOR: The TT Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) extends heartfelt congratulations to Farley Augustine and the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) on their resounding success in the just-concluded Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.
Your dedication and hard work over the past four years, coupled with your steadfast commitment to the people of Tobago and all stakeholders, have undoubtedly led to this well-deserved victory. This new mandate presents a valuable opportunity to build upon your achievements and continue advancing Tobago toward its full potential.
As the national umbrella organisation for the services sector, TTCSI looks forward to deepening our collaboration with the THA in 2026 and beyond. Together, we can further strengthen the services industries across TT, empowering our citizens to export their talents and expertise to the international market – thereby contributing to sustainable growth and prosperity for our nation.
THE EDITOR: Farley Augustine’s victory in Tobago is significant in some ways. Firstly, it shows that Tobagonians approve of what Augustine is doing and, critically, it seems a vote against the People’s National Movement (PNM), similarly trounced in a previous election, with this resounding victory suggesting that the PNM is on the way out.
But more significantly, this victory of the Tobago People’s Party seems an endorsement of Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the United National Congress, for there is much to suggest that Augustine was in alliance with Persad-Bissessar, testimony to which is the increased budgetary allocation in the last budget and the overtures about Tobago autonomy. And the much vented criticism of the Persad-Bissessar/US alliance, radar and all, did not seem to have much impact on the Tobago vote, if even one may argue that such vote was more anti-PNM rather than pro-Persad-Bissessar.
UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar – Photo by Faith Ayoung
Perhaps it is worthwhile to speculate that although Persad-Bissessar has been criticised for many of her initiatives, singularly her alliance with the US, and, of course, her cost-cutting measures and the rigid application of traffic laws did not make much of a difference to Tobagonians at the polls.
What is apparent from this Tobago election is that beneath all the “sound and fury” associated with the old way of thinking, there is a large body of opinion that supports the new thinking in more ways than one.
POLITICAL analyst Derek Ramsamooj says the Tobago People’s Party’s (TPP) resounding 15-0 victory in the January 12 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election has provided its political leader and THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine a strong hand to demand greater autonomy for the island and advance its interests.
Ramsamooj said the THA elections result make for an interesting political dynamic between Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Augustine. He also said the results have diminished the PNM’s political stocks nationally and its leadership must do some serious introspection with respect to charting the way forward for the party.
Ramsamooj said the result has placed Augustine “in the strongest position within recent times of having a clear mandate to develop Tobago’s agenda.”
This agenda, he continued, will not only deal with infrastructure or internal governance.
Ramsamooj said this agenda “will present an unchallenged opportunity to strengthen Tobago’s definition of greater autonomy.”
He added the TPP victory gives Augustine “great negotiating capacity in dealing with the central government of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Ramsamooj said, “Historically, this is the strongest Tobago has ever been in recent history.”
The TPP now controls the entire assembly and the Tobago West and Tobago East seats in the House of Representatives.
Asked how the THA elections result could change the political dynamics between Persad-Bissessar and Augustine, Ramsamooj said, “There is going to be great scope for political co-operation between the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led Trinidad administration and the Farley-led THA administration.”
He added, “Time will tell whether Chief Secretary Farley (Augustine) will want to negotiate for a greater piece of the national budget, perhaps by a percentage or two, over the next four years.”
No official political coalition exists between the UNC and TPP although the latter’s two MPs sit alongside UNC backbenchers in a section of the House of Representatives which is traditionally reserved only for government MPs.
On the PNM which lost the lone Darrel Spring/Whim seat in the THA, which it won in the December 2021 election, Ramsamooj said, “The PNM has now devolved into being a minority political party.”
He recalled over the last year, the PNM has lost its national political appeal.
“We see a further decline of this national appeal as a political party under the present leadership of the PNM.”
Ramsamooj said, “The PNM must revisit its political strategy if it is to have any possibility of being the political alternative and the political leader Pennelope Beckles needs to revisit her leadership style.”
He added, “What is clearly evident is the decline of not only the political party but also questions about the effectiveness of the political leadership of Penny Beckles.”
THE Tobago People’s Party (TPP) under Farley Augustine swept the Tobago House Assembly (THA) elections on January 12, taking all 15 seats, ahead of the PNM. The TPP declared victory at minutes past 9 pm, improving its result from its 14-one seat tally in 2021, where the PNM’s Kelvon Morris had won his seat by just three votes in 2021. Up to 10.50 pm, Augustine had not given a public address.
The PNM spent the rest of the evening waiting with bated breath to see if Morris could retain his Darrel Spring/Whim seat. By 10 pm it became evident that Morris had lost his seat.
Minutes after 10 pm, Dennis confirmed he will step down as the PNM Tobago leader, saying, “I support the transition to new leadership.”
He said the party will seek recounts in several seats including Darrel Spring/Whim where he said Morris had lost by 17 votes.
The result continues the TPP’s electoral success. In the 2021 THA polls, the PDP (whose members became TPP) won 58 per cent (16,932 votes), ahead of the PNM’s 41 per cent (11,942 votes) and IDA’s one per cent (295 votes).
In the 2025 general election, the TPP, promoting itself as the sole Tobago-centric party, snatched two parliamentary seats on 55 per cent of votes cast, by winning 13,857 votes in Tobago to the PNM’s 11,000 votes.
The sweeping THA elections win was predicted by Augustine but analysts had shied away from declaring a winner.
Political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath recently told Newsday, “I wouldn’t venture to say if there is a clear winner at this stage.”
Augustine remains a popular figure in Tobago and said his party planned to use the next four years to build the island. But the PNM tried to poke holes on Tobago issues and national issues, adding that the TPP’s relationship with the UNC government was not in Tobago’s interest. The electorate thought otherwise.
Speculation was rife as to what issues swayed Tobagonians. Were they local issues such as the location of a US military radar at the ANR Robinson Airport pertinent, even as the government had denied helping the US against the Venezuelan government? Or were the national issues such as the new hefty traffic fines introduced by the government and the increase in late fees from $350 to $650 on top of the $500 fee for a new driver’s permit going to affect voters?
The issues of the THA procurement of ambulances was also on the campaign topics.
After the US military snatched Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, amid the loss of as many as 100 lives of Venezuelan and Cuban defenders, Augustine declared if the Tobago-based radar had helped the Americans he would “mash up” the radar himself.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine displays his finger after voting at the Speyside Anglican School during the THA elections on January 12.
The PNM had sought to fuel speculation that Tobago could soon see Trinidad-styled closures of the Cepep and URP programmes. Augustine had accused the PNM of fearmongering in their campaign and denied accusations by the PNM of planning to fire workers and selling out No Man’s Land to a private developer.
Despite the resounding defeat, Dennis paid tribute to the PNM’s “excellent candidates.” He said the party accepted the overall results, saying it was democracy at work.
Dennis told reporters his party has run “a solid campaign” but it had not garnered enough support.
“Do not lose hope in the PNM and do not lose hope in Tobago,” he urged listeners.
Dennis said the PNM had detected significant dissatisfaction among Tobago voters, yet that was not reflected on election day.
This time some 42 candidates vied for 15 seats. Both the PDP and PNM each contested all 15 seats,while the Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) under Denise Tsoiafatt Angus contested 11 and the Unity of the People under Nickocy Phillips contested one.
The TPP campaigned on its performance and delivery, and offered a 20-year blueprint for the island.
The PNM criticised the defection to the TPP of former PNM Tobago West campaign manager Keigon Denoon, plus the purchase of 12 ambulances for $18 million.
The poll was somewhat marred by a fight in Bon Accord between a TPP supporter and several PNM supporters who were accused of burning her flag and attacking her.
The EBC reported there were no irregularities in voting. As to a few voters who had been unsure of their polling station, EBC head Fern Narcis-Scope said they should have better informed themselves and that elections were not static but could undergo changes from time to time.
Last time in 2021 the Progressive Democratic Democrats (PDP) led by Watson Duke swept to victory, winning 14 seats to just one by the PNM’s Morris.
Morris won by edging the PDP’s Abby Taylor by just 849 to 846 votes.
Ahead of the December 2021 THA polls, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) had created three new seats to both reflect population changes and to prevent any recurrence of an election tie such as the previous PDP-PNM six-six result that saw a gridlocked house in January 2021.
These were Lambeau/Lowlands, Darrel Spring/Whim and Mt St George/Goodwood.
Further, ahead of the January 12 election,the EBC changed boundaries in two seats. These were Mason Hall/Moriah which became Mason Hall North/Moriah plus Bagatelle/Bacelot which became Mason Hall South/Bagatelle.
Ten seats which remained unchanged up to now since the 2017 election, where the PNM won ten seats and the PDP two.
These were Belle Gardens/Glamorgan, Bethel/New Grange, Bethesda/Les Coteaux, Bon Accord/Crown Point, Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, Parlatuvier/L’anse Fourmi/Speyside, Plymouth/Black Rock, Roxborough/Argyle, Scarborough/Mt Grace and Signal Hill/Patience Hill.
On Monday, 42 candidates will contest the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections, seeking a seat of governance among the 15 available.
Among them, voters won’t find the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) party formed by Watson Duke, which catapulted Farley Augustine to power as Chief Secretary on the island.
All bitterness over the fractious split that led all the elected officials save Mr Duke to form a new party, the Tobago People’s Party, seemed to have left the PDP leader, who announced that he had chosen to support the man he described as “his younger brother.”
The decision creates a new Caribbean math for politics on the island, all except one left none in tomorrow’s election for the PDP.
Mr Augustine has been stepping carefully forward in his relationship with the UNC-led government, sounding notes of independence, but also aware that his relationship with the Central Government is only likely to improve in joint opposition to the PNM.
The promised replacement for the MV Cabo Star, a mainstay of freight movement between Trinidad and Tobago, has been briskly sought and leased and is expected to arrive just six days after the Cabo Star goes out of service.
The MV Blue Wave Harmony is being touted as an improvement, with incrementally greater capacity and enhanced refrigeration capacity and upgraded facilities.
While the PNM in Tobago has aggressively picked at the scab left by the running gaffes that followed the establishment of military radar at Crown Point and issues of autonomy, Mr Augustine is thinking big, unveiling a four-year plan for the island’s development and a 20-year vision board for its future.
Some of these plans are overly ambitious, with minimum wage goals that are currently out of alignment with the economic reality in Tobago, but planning for better hotel accommodation and increasing tourism are sensible and achievable goals that align the country’s workforce with its infrastructure and potential.
Tobago’s land distribution and size make achieving food security unlikely, but homegrown food from local farmers dovetails neatly into the kind of environmental tourism and sustainability markers that upscale visitors are seeking when they travel. They have enough plastic and processed food at home and Tobago’s blue food is a good match for its blue waters.
Four parties and 42 candidates have made their case and offered their plans to Tobago’s voters, the campaigns were aggressive, but remained firmly within this country’s traditions of free and fair elections.
If the hyperbole became colourful at times, it underlined the passion that Tobagonians have for their home. The Council for Responsible Political Behaviour commended the parties for “upholding the integrity of the campaign.”
The proof of their effectiveness on the campaign trail comes on Monday, where a strong turnout and robust participation in the electoral process will offer the strongest possible mandate to the party that is chosen to execute its vision for Tobago.
WITH just hours to go before the polls open for Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election on January 12, political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath says the two major parties in contention – the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) and the People’s National Movement (PNM) – appear to be evenly matched.
“I wouldn’t venture to say if there is a clear winner at this stage,” he told Newsday.
Ragoonath, chairman of the Council for Responsible Political Behaviour, said he began looking at the political meetings about two weeks ago.
He said while the PNM’s meetings appeared sparse in the early stages of the campaign, they picked up momentum over the past week.
Ragoonath added that the TPP always had a good momentum, which the party maintained throughout the campaign.
“While I would say that at the beginning of the campaign, the TPP was seemingly way ahead, the PNM has done a good bit of catching up and, in fact, the campaign has now heated up to a nice level where both sides are looking at trying to win the support of the Tobago electorate.”
The other parties in the running are the Innovative Democratic Alliance and the Unity of the People, led by Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus and Nickocy Phillips, respectively.
Ragoonath, who believes the voter turnout could hover around 60 per cent, said the campaign has generally been a good one, characterised mainly by allegations and refutations.
Among other things, the Farley Augustine-led TPP campaigned on its performance and delivery as well as the PNM’s perceived failure to change the development trajectory of Tobago during its 21 unbroken years in office. The party also unveiled a 20-year blueprint to develop the island.
The PNM, during its campaign, also revealed its Big Bold Red policy for taking Tobago forward.
The Tobago-arm of the party, led by Ancil Dennis, also revisited the controversial purchase of 12 ambulances for $18 million, criticised the defection of former Tobago West constituency chairman Keigon Denoon (now the TPP’s Buccoo/Mt Pleasant candidate), and argued the TPP did nothing to enhance the lives of Tobagonians over the past four years.
Dennis, a former chief secretary, is contesting the Buccoo/Mt Pleasant seat.
PNM Tobago Council political leader Ancil Dennis –
Ragoonath observed that the perceived strained relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and elements of racism were part of the campaign.
“From our perspective, there were some things that came out that we still have to deal with as a country and a society.
“There is still a lot of attack on Trinidad and Trinidad contractors and Trinidadians going to Tobago to campaign in Tobago. So there is that division that remains. We have to look at that.”
Ragoonath said mention was made about former Deputy THA chief secretary Hilton Sandy’s controversial “Calcutta ship” comment during the 2013 election campaign.
“I actually saw an ad with reference to the Calcutta ship.”
He said there also appeared to be a lack of respect for private property on the hustings.
“People were putting up their flags and banners without getting permission. And the question begged as to whether or not those things were the exuberance of party supporters as opposed to a party.”
No room for smaller parties
Ragoonath does not believe the smaller parties will have an impact in the election.
But Tsoiafatt Angus told Newsday the IDA is fully prepared and ready to govern with “a credible slate, a tested governing framework and a manifesto that goes beyond slogans and structural solutions.”
She said the IDA’s readiness is grounded in preparation, not rhetoric.
“Our campaign has been guided by a clear governing blueprint, Resetting Tobago Together, which sets out in detail how an IDA-led Tobago House of Assembly would operate from Day One, using the existing THA Act to decentralise power, redirect investment and stabilise the economy.”
Tsoiafatt Angus said Tobago is entering a period of serious economic uncertainty, which, she believes, is complicated by the geopolitical shifts and, more so, the controversy over Venezuela and the struggles between US and China.
“It would be foolish for us not to understand how this impacts our development and how we need to protect ourselves internally.”
She believes national austerity is already affecting households.
“Oil and gas revenues are unpredictable and Tobago can no longer rely on top-down transfers to secure its future. In this context, ‘pie-in-the-sky’ projects and speculative pipelines are not just unrealistic; they are dangerous. Our approach is therefore deliberately people-centred, community-driven and fiscally grounded.”
Competitve balance
Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Curtis Williams observed that the major parties are pulling out the stops to secure victory.
“There is a noticeable level of activity, energy, and engagement coming from all sides, which signals that the stakes are high and that Tobago’s future is very much at the forefront of the conversation,’ he told Newsday.
Like Ragoonath, Williams observed that the PNM’s campaign initially appeared quiet compared to others.
“But that changed quite rapidly. Over the past few weeks, there has been a clear escalation in their visibility and outreach, bringing a more competitive balance to the overall campaign landscape.”
He said Tobagonians have been paying attention to the meetings.
“People are listening closely, comparing plans and asking questions about delivery, not just promises.”
However, Williams said while the messaging from all of the parties seemed “ambitious and exciting, “the real test will be how these ideas translate into practical action that improves the everyday lives of Tobagonians and strengthens the island’s economy.”
He believes the electorate will be looking less at rhetoric and more at credibility, track record, and the ability to execute.
“Tobago needs leadership that can move beyond campaigning into clear, accountable governance once the election dust settles. “
Tobago Business Chamber chairman Martin George alluded to the long-term proposals outlined by the major parties. But he said execution has always been challenging.
“The ideas in their proposals look very good on paper and seem very promising, but that’s always the challenge with politicians. They are always very promising before elections. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” George said.
“After the election, in terms of the delivery on these promises and the implementation of these strategies, proposals, and the grandiose plans, that’s where they usually fall short.”
He said the Chamber was looking forward to the result with cautious optimism.
“But whoever wins, we are willing to work along with them to ensure there is a revival and a revitalisation of the business sector in Tobago.”
The chamber, George said, is hoping that the incoming THA would address decisively the issues plaguing the cargo ferry service.
“So we are hoping that is resolved and that this situation is given a permanent solution because we have asked repeatedly that there be this redundancy on the cargo ferry service, in that there must be a backup boat.”
“Basically, you cater for when a boat has to go on drydock or when the service contract ends because at the end of the day the practical reality is these things happen.”
George also called for a long-term solution to address the problems on the airbridge.
“We can’t be in the year 2026, and we are still having problems with flights between islands. It’s two islands and a 20-minute flight. It can’t be that difficult to solve.
“So we need to get these things sorted out so that we can really move forward progressively with the revitalisation of the business sector in Tobago.”
The Elections and Boundaries Commission said in a release on December 19 that a total of 42 candidates were registered to contest the election in 15 electoral districts.
The PNM and TPP are each fielding 15 candidates, while the IDA is contesting 11 seats. The UTP submitted one candidate.
The two main parties had closing rallies on January 10.
THA MINORITY LEADER Kelvon Morris has described as “pure desperation,” the Tobago People’s Party’s (TPP’s) 20-year blueprint for the island.
He also accused the party of copying plans from the PNM’s Big Bold Red policy, which was launched on December 21, 2024, at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort, Lowlands, Tobago.
TPP political leader Farley Augustine unveiled the party’s blueprint during a function at the Uptown Fascinators pan tent, Scarborough, on January 1.
Augustine, who is contesting the Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside seat in the January 12 THA election, said the document covers the period 2026-2030.
But he said it was also part of a broader strategic development plan, which is projected to take the island to 2045.
The blueprint, which is expected to be published officially on January 5, looked at several areas, including constitutional authority, tourism development, wellness and healthcare delivery and public sector modernisation.
But in a brief interview with Newsday on January 2, Morris accused the TPP of creating a hastily prepared document ahead of the upcoming election.
“The TPP’s so-called 20-year blueprint is pure desperation,” he said via WhatsApp.
“With elections just days away and defeat staring them in the face, they have rushed out a document built on lies, recycled failures and empty promises.”
Morris, who is contesting the Darrel Spring/Whim electoral district, again accused the TPP of being what he called “a clone” of the UNC.
“Therefore, they are about serving their UNC masters and UNC financiers. That is why, while Tobagonians face job losses, victimisation and hardship, the TPP leadership remains strangely silent.”
He continued, “The same administration that abused contract workers, ignored industrial court rulings and weakened job security, is now shamelessly copying the PNM’s Big Bold Red policies such as extending contracts to five years and pretending to care.”
Morris said Tobagonians are not fools.
“We have seen this UNC-TPP script before. Sweet promises before elections, pain and hardship after. Tobago will not be fooled again.”
The Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce welcomed the TPP’s Blueprint and the PNM’s Red Bold policy but said delivery and execution were critical to the success of both initiatives.
“From a private-sector perspective, the Chamber welcomes the emphasis in both plans on economic development, infrastructure, job creation and institutional reform. These are areas that are critical to restoring business confidence and improving the quality of life for Tobagonians,” chamber president Curtis Williams told Newsday.
“However, while policy documents and manifestos are important, the Chamber’s primary focus will be on delivery and execution. The real test of any plan lies in how effectively it is implemented, financed and monitored over time.”
Describing both plans as “ambitious and exciting visions for Tobago’s future,” Williams said the Chamber looked forward to engaging constructively with whichever party formed the THA, while holding them accountable for action, timelines and measurable outcomes.
“Transparency, accountability and meaningful stakeholder engagement must remain central to the process.”
He also said autonomy will play a very important role in the successful execution of any development agenda, particularly where decision-making authority, procurement, financing, and project implementation are concerned.
Williams said the chamber stands ready to partner, monitor and advocate in the best interest of Tobago’s business community and the wider population, “ensuring that promises translate into real and sustained economic progress.”
THE THA has not sold out No Man’s Land to any private developer.
This was the assurance by THA Chief Secretary and political leader of the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) Farley Augustine as he addressed a TPP public meeting on December 29 in the Signal Hill/Patience Hill electoral district.
Augustine told residents of Signal Hill, “Let me be pellucidly clear, this chief secretary, this government and this executive, has not given any lands to any private developer down at No Man’s Land. So let them stop walk around and tell lie on this administration – nothing ain’t go so.”
He said a private developer came to the THA and said he could help the vendors at the site to ensure they have appropriate facilities to sell their food. He promised to provide access to water, bathroom facilities and meet international health and safety standards.
“He offered to provide it to the people of Tobago for free, at no cost to the people of Tobago, at no cost to the government, and he wanted to know if he provides it if the THA will take over the maintenance of it.”
He said he told the Trinidadian businessman, before any arrangement is made he should talk to the vendors then provide the Assembly with a proposal.
“The gentleman has not even provided us with a proposal as yet for us to even make a decision – so how it reach to them spreading propaganda on the man name saying that, somehow, we sign away land and we’re putting off vendors. If we have to put off vendors from No Man’s Land, the first thing they would receive is a legal letter from the THA indicating such.
“I am sure no vendor, no proprietor in No Man’s Land received any notice from the THA that they must leave. So it is a total fabrication that we are putting out people to give one private person land in No Man’s Land.”
He compared the incident to the former PNM’s government proposal for a Sandals resort in Tobago
“This THA’s land-use policy has always been about how we provide the average Tobagonians with access.”
CHRISTIAN Adams, 38, and Teresa Alleyne-Adams, 38, are not household names. But they should be.
On a bright afternoon in May 2023, the Tobago couple were on their way to pick up their children when disaster struck.
Their white Suzuki was pinned by a dump truck that had collided with other vehicles and overturned along the Claude Noel Highway. Mr Adams, a firefighter, and his wife, a civil servant, were declared dead at the scene.
The tragedy had a sequel days later, when a relative, who had flown into Tobago to attend the Adams’ funeral, drowned during his visit.
After all of this, a man was charged and a dangerous driving trial was set. Yet, on December 17, the case collapsed – prosecutors informed Justice Nalini Singh that no further evidence would be adduced. The driver walked free.
Not only should the tragic road traffic accident that left the Adams’ three children orphans haunt this country, but the abrupt and unsatisfactory end of the trial should be a mark of shame.
Two years after the events in question, and on the eve of Christmas, the family has been left not only with their grief but with the terrible uncertainty as to whether anyone might ever face justice.
When the couple died in 2023, the matter became, for a moment, a cause célèbre.
Farley Augustine, the Chief Secretary, attended the funeral. Ancil Dennis, his predecessor, appeared at a memorial. THA officials pledged to “take care of the children” left behind by the couple, who were known simply as Chris and Terry, and who were described by those closest to them as being completely devoted to their offspring and to their faith in God.
It was a seven-day wonder.
None of the 2023 publicity prevented this month’s stinging and upsetting outcome in the trial at the Scarborough High Court.
The trial had been in progress for three days. Witnesses had testified and been cross-examined. But the prosecutor then abruptly stated there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction. He invoked both the prosecutorial code and a directive from the Office of the DPP.
Why did it take two years for authorities to glean there was not enough to carry on a trial?
Was a coroner’s inquest the way to go?
Here is how the accident that killed the couple is described in an account from a relative published on the website of road safety group Arrive Alive: “When a negligent driver was veering off the highway in Tobago because she was on her phone, a truck driver had to swerve to avoid her.”
Is there any truth in this?
And will the country, and more importantly the children left behind, ever know?
TOBAGO People’s Party (TPP) prospective candidate for Bethesda/Les Coteau Zorisha Hackett has warned against political tribalism and self-interest, declaring that the era of the “select few” benefiting from governance is over.
Addressing residents of Plymouth during a TPP political meeting on December 16, Hackett said it is the duty of elected officials to serve all citizens rather than special interest groups.
“No one group of people should feel they own any politician. No politician is a puppet on a string for any one group of people. You serve the entire district, and after election day you taking off the (TPP) blue; if you were wearing red – I sorry if you were wearing red, but if you were wearing red, you taking it off too and at the end of the day, like my Godfather Nello (Lord Nelson) say, all ah we is one family.”
She criticised those entering the arena with “hidden agendas and vendettas,” noting that the mission could never be a solo one.
“It has to be a collective one and so what we see happening now is not people coming with passion and purpose and heart to serve. They’re coming with hidden agendas and vendettas because they feel if them alone can’t get, nobody should get – but the days for that done.
“The days for the select few getting, done. It is not about friend, family and financiers. Tobago is we. If the cap fits, let them wear it, but I am telling allyuh – not me, I am nobody’s puppet on a string.”
Hackett was the representative for Bethesda/Les Coteaux. She is the Secretary of Education, Research and Technology.
TPP political leader Farley Augustine endorsed the prospective candidate for Plymouth/Black Rock, political newcomer Kern Alexis, declaring he is the ideal candidate to manage the district. Augustine said the area has had good representation from out of the community for many years.
“A vote for Kern Alexis is a vote to continue good governance, a vote to continue good representation, a vote for talent, a vote for one of your own, and it is a vote that you cannot afford to waste in this election.”
Alexis will face off against the PNM’s Karyn Forbes.
THA Chief Secretary and political leader of the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) Farley Augustine has called on Tobago to reject the message of People’s National Movement (PNM) political leader Pennelope Beckles.
At the PNM Tobago Council’s “Red Revival” campaign launch and presentation of candidates at the ballroom of the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Lowlands, on December 13, Beckles told Augustine to stay out of PNM business. She also warned Tobagonians about accepting election gifts, saying those would not translate into effective governance.
At a TPP political meeting on December 14 at the Delaford Multipurpose Facility Courtyard, Augustine said he does not care about PNM business.
“I just want pretty Penny to know that Tobago’s business is TPP’s business, and Tobago is we and not the PNM. I just want pretty Penny to know that Tobago has decided that never again will a political organisation with its headquarters in Trinidad run and rule the island of Tobago.
“We big enough, we have enough sense, we have enough talent to manage our own business. Tobago is we, and the TPP is Tobago.”
He continued: “I want pretty Penny to know, no amount of begging she could beg could make us forgive the 20 years that the locust and the cankerworms stole from the people of Tobago. ”
He said the TPP was entering a period of restoration and urged the public to not re-elect the PNM.
“I want pretty Penny to know that we are not going back to the days of mediocrity whatsoever. So let she keep she red party, she could provide room down in Trinidad for the sore losers from here but we, Tobago is we, and TPP is Tobago, and that is why we’re voting for the anchor in this election.
“No turning back at this point, we cannot turn back at this point, too much is at stake.”
Augustine then addressed Roxborough/ Argyle after several residents have said they would withhold their votes as their nominated candidate wasn’t selected to represent the district.
“A vote for Orlando Kerr is a vote for any of the others who offered themselves for the TPP. This is one united movement going forward – no isms and skisms.
“We’re not voting based on what village you’re from, we’re voting because this party, this anchor is the only thing that can anchor Tobago down safely for the troubled waters that might be ahead globally. And so I thank everyone who offered themselves in this area and I want to say that there is more than enough work for every single one of you to do.
“Governance is more than just those you elect, governance must include those we appoint, those that must run state boards, those that run state companies, those that have to become technical officers inside the divisions, those that will have to sit down and do the research for us, those that we can send to fly out and represent Tobago that can make a case on our behalf – there is enough work for every single one of our talented people to do.”
He told the supporters to get united before the January 12 elections.
“It is only when we are divided we can fall. Once we are together, no man, jack or woman can break us down and beat us in this election. Only we can defeat ourselves. We have to get united for the cause, a whole lot is at stake.”
Kerr will face off against the PNM’s Shonae John in the area.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said spiralling crime and murders on the island have been controlled under the current Tobago People’s Party (TPP) administration.
At a TPP meeting in Patience Hill on December 11, Augustine said one thing he was not proud of in the last four years was the two bloodiest years in the island’s modern history.
“Last year, we had our largest murder rate at around 24 and the year before at 14. I vowed that after last year that whether we had the responsibility or not, this THA would make it its business in ensuring that we keep the island of Tobago safe, and tonight I am happy that if we are to compare Tobago with any other part of the country, we, unlike any part of the country, have been able to reverse a high murder rate so we are significantly down from 24 last year, and that’s not by accident.”
Under the THA Act, central government is responsible for national security. However, this has been a bode of contention with calls recently for the Chief Secretary to be afforded a seat on the National Security Council.
Augustine said the THA used its own means to address the issue.
“That is actually because this THA decided that we would invest in our young people. We would invest in the national security apparatus, and we would invest to the extent that we can keep our island safe.”
He said some radical steps needed to be taken to keep the island safe. A proposal for a local police force in Tobago has been accepted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
“We have had murders on our shores and after the murders happen, people jumping pirogues and big boats and sail away. Me ain’t see no radar, me ain’t see no Coast Guard stop them. We had robberies up to this year – a casino robbed, they escaped with the money by boat and then we sent TEMA to put up the drone to see where they are. Coast Guard couldn’t get to them because Coast Guard needed gas for their boat.
“I am saying to you, Tobago, that is unacceptable and the Tobago that we preside over must take some radical decisions to keep this island and to keep our people safe, and that we must do without any apology whatsoever.”
TPP’s prospective candidate for the district, Nigel Taitt, is back trying to represent the district after election in 2021. He holds the portfolio of Assistant Secretary of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development with responsibility for Fisheries.
Augustine commended Taitt for the “sterling job he had done these four years.”
He said he did not know Taitt before 2021 but he showed his mettle by defeating former PNM Tobago Council leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine in the last THA elections.
“There was a lady who went away to a far, far country, spent out all of Tobago’s birthright, all that we have given to her, and decided that she was coming back home as a prodigal daughter on a zipline, but when she come, she said, ‘No, I can’t face Farley up in Speyside.’
“She run down in Patience Hill/ Signal Hill and the mighty man “Taittos” (Nigel Taitt) just done she political career. And come January 12, 2026, Taitt will do it again by holding on to this seat right here in Patience Hill/ Signal Hill.”
He added: “We are not afraid of their faces – we are approaching this election without fear because we are confident that on every single deliverables we have outperformed any single four years of the PNM, and we are confident campaigning on that on the platform and on the ground. This election, we have to appreciate that you need a team of people who are willing to fight and stand on your behalf even in areas for which we don’t now have responsibilities.”
Taitt asked the residents to be the judge of his work during the first term.
“I believe that I worked hard both in my division and in the electoral district. I don’t sit in office, I like to be in the field with my people – you know why? Because it is you all that put me here. I am your humble servant and I will remain your humble servant for the next four years because I know come January 12, 2026 at 6 am to 6 pm we shall all head to the polls, look for the anchor, look for the name Nigel Dave Taitt and put the X by my name for the Tobago People’s Party.”
Taitt announced plans for a connector bridge between Signal Hill and Spring Garden, a road in the vicinity of the George’s residence at Winchester Lane, road paving at Tranquility Heights in Signal Hill and Cemetery Trace in Lambeau, the upgrading of the community centres in Signal Hill and Patience Hill as well as the erection of a playpark in Spring Garden.
THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has expressed surprise by the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP’s) political leader Watson Duke’s endorsement of the Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
At a news conference on December 8 at the PDP’s headquarters, Port Mall, Scarborough, Duke confirmed reports that the PDP will not contest the January 12 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections and will instead support the ruling TPP.
He claimed it was a phone call from Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, the leader of the TPP, which caused him to reflect that it was more important to stop the People’s National Movement (PNM) from returning to office. So rather than splitting votes, he took the decision to support “my younger brother.”
Questioned on the matter, Augustine told Newsday the endorsement did surprise him.
“I was surprised but I appreciate the support and engagement. We are saying that Tobago is we and part of that means that, from time to time, there are people you disagree with perhaps on some principle matters but it does not mean that when it comes to Tobago, we cannot find ground to agree and work together – it is just what it is. I appreciate all the support I can get.”
Political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath doesn’t see any surprise in the endorsement.
Ragoonath said, “Mr Duke has always made it quite clear that he is anti-PNM and having said that he is anti- PNM, when you look at the other parties contesting the election, I don’t think any of the other parties contesting the elections which are contesting the elections stands a significant chance to winning seats in the THA. There is a clear notion that the PNM is the only party that is going to seriously challenge the TPP and to that extent, Mr Duke decided that he’s not going to support the PNM or ensures the PNM defeat.”
He said doesn’t think Duke’s endorsement will hurt the TPP.
“It just would be a matter of the TPP having to manoeuvre carefully among its support base as to how it acknowledges Mr Duke.”
In this regard, he said he doesn’t expect the TPP to make any formal statement.
A US communications specialist said in a military radio broadcast that the G/ATOR radar installed in Tobago can be used in US conflict in Venezuela. The statement was made by Specialist Second Class Natasha Chevalier Losada on December 4 on the radio station AFN Guantanamo Bay (Radio GTMO).
During the clip, Losada said, “American military forces have installed an AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system in Trinidad and Tobago. The surveillance system primarily functions as aerial surveillance but officials say it can be used in US conflict with Venezuela. Tobago is approximately 70 miles from Venezuela’s Paria peninsula.”
She continued by quoting the Prime Minister. “‘Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, said of the installation, ‘They will help us to install our surveillance in the intelligence of the radar for the narco-traffickers in our water and outside our waters.’’”
Innovative Democratic Alliance political leader Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus said this announcement by the US military was “further evidence of what we already know of the lies that are being told to the people of Tobago and the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago by the Prime Minister and her Cabinet, and the Chief Secretary and his secretaries in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).”
She said the continued state of emergency meant that people could not respond to the statements being made by these politicians.
“It is unfortunate that the lies being told to the people that they cannot respond in a manner that could get the government to understand their displeasure, because the state of emergency is in place strategically to muzzle the people at this time.”
In a media conference on November 29 at Calder Hall, Tobago, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said central government has told him that the radar system installed at the ANR Robinson International Airport would not be used by the US to help attack Venezuela or any other nation.
Speaking at the media conference, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge said the radar system was solely for domestic security purposes and would assist in identifying drug traffickers, gun smugglers and human traffickers.
Multiple attempts to reach Augustine, THA minority leader Kelvon Morris and PNM Tobago Council political leader Ancil Dennis for comment were unsuccessful.
There have been 22 strikes in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, which have killed at least 87 people.
Chevalier Losada said the manufacturer, Northrup Grumman, said the system is able to “detect, track and target the world’s most sophisticated airborne threats in highly contested environments.” She said the system has a 360-degree maximum range of approximately 170 miles for air surveillance and tracking.
Northrup Grumman’s website said the long-range high-performance pulse doppler radar consolidates the air surveillance, air defense and counterfire target acquisition missions into one package, “able to complete all these functions simultaneously and react with the speed needed for today’s battlespace.
“The AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR utilizes S-band radar operations to provide long range, four-dimensional, 360-degree total surveillance for air and missile defense, fire control, and air traffic control. With the ability to establish fire control quality tracks on a single scan, the radar delivers the data necessary for air defense weapons to destroy airborne threats including cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).”
It said the AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR also determines launch points of hostile fire, such as rocket, artillery, or mortar fire, for counterstrikes against the sources of each threat. It said, in addition, it performs air traffic control missions with ease, acting as a ground-based, multi-functional manager of flight operations.
“This gallium nitride (GaN) AESA radar is engineered with open systems architecture, allowing for easy and affordable introduction of new hardware, software and mission capabilities. It is also highly survivable, providing anti-jamming capabilities, as well as high mobility, requiring minimal air or ground transport resources to change locations.”
PROGRESSIVE Democratic Patriots (PDP) leader Watson Duke has thrown his support behind the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) for the January 12 THA elections.
At a media conference on December 8 in Scarborough, Duke said, “If Farley wins, we win. We are one.”
The PDP won the last THA elections 14-1, but a public spat between Duke and Chief Secretary Farley Augustine a year later saw a monumental split in the party. Augustine and 12 other PDP assemblymen quit and formed the TPP.
The PDP failed to make an impact at the April 28 general election with Duke unsuccessful as the Tobago East candidate.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar later revealed that Duke had asked her for a job.
Duke was one of the attendees at a reception on November 4 at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Blenheim, Tobago, after Persad-Bissessar had earlier presented Augustine with an export licence for the Studley Park.
Persad-Bissessar greeted Duke and another TPP official at the residence, saying, “We have the flambeau (PDP symbol) and we have the anchor (TPP symbol).”
FARLEY Augustine’s ringing of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election bell on December 1 is the start of a process that marks remarkable transformations on the local political scene. Not only will Mr Augustine be put to the test but also his administration’s relationship with the central government.
Unusually for a local poll, foreign policy matters have emerged as pre-eminent. The election will be the first opportunity for citizens to weigh in on the decision to allow the US to install military-grade radar at the ANR Robinson International Airport. It will be something of a referendum on both Mr Augustine and the Prime Minister.
Smoothed over in recent days by the Kamla Persad-Bissessar administration has been any sense of tension between the two islands on the radar issue. After Mr Augustine initially said he was unaware of the details, and after the PM said he did not have to be, Attorney General John Jeremie and Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge were dispatched to brief the leader of the Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
Mr Augustine now feels assured the equipment won’t be used “to attack anybody,” even as he concedes this country “could not stop Trump.” On December 2, ex-THA councillor Certica Williams-Orr, on a TPP platform, described the radar as a “Christmas gift.” Last week, the party’s Tobago East MP David Thomas said it was “necessary.”
It will be the TPP’s first THA election since being formed in 2023 after Mr Augustine broke away from Watson Duke’s Progressive Democratic Patriots and could mark Mr Duke’s swan song, if not the nail in his political coffin, after a disappointing run in the April 28 general election. The TPP’s sweep of both Tobago seats in that national poll strongly bolsters Mr Augustine’s chances heading into 2026.
Also tested will be the opposition PNM and whether it has recovered ground since its near-total washout in 2021 and since April. That the party will have a steep hill to climb is suggested by the defection of Keigon Denoon, its well-liked Tobago West constituency chairman, to the TPP. At the same time, the fact of Mr Augustine’s incumbency as chief secretary may weigh down upon his 14-1 tally in the assembly.
The popular UNC leader has maintained closeness with Mr Augustine, going so far as to adopt the TPP motto of being the “anchor” of the “greatest little island on the planet” during her visit to Tobago in November. Hoteliers worry about lower tourism receipts because of the US radar, but Ms Persad-Bissessar has, through licences, unlocked billions in aggregate revenues.
Ordinary Tobagonians will weigh in on these matters and will probe the ultimate significance of the surveillance equipment at Crown Point come January 12.
FORMER national security minister Gary Griffith says Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Augustine cannot be a member of the National Security Council (NSC) which is chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
He made this comment in response to a call by Augustine that the THA chief secretary should be a member of the NSC, in relation to the installation of a US military radar at the Arthur NR International Airport at Crown Point last month. Augustine made this call during a Tobago People’s Party (TPP) rally in Scarborough on December 1.
Griffith served as national security minister and national security adviser to the prime minister at different times during Persad-Bissessar’s first administration (May 24, 2010- September 7, 2015). He is also a former captain in the TT Regiment and a former police commissioner.
He said, “The reason why it cannot happen is because Trinidad and Tobago…our parliamentary system and procedure…has been copied from the British system,”
In the UK, Griffith continued, the British started the concept of the NSC.
“That is to deal specifically to deal with matters pertaining to security of a country…for natural or man-made disasters…internally…from external aggression…dealing with matters of serious foreign policy…intelligence gathering and so forth.”
Griffith said, “The NSC is a cabinet committee. That is the British model that we copied, word for word and we have utilised it.”
He added the reason why the NSC has been used in the way it has by successive governments since independence in 1962 was out of recognition of the value of this entity to effectively treat with the UK’s national security issues.
Griffith said, “We have a set policy that the NSC is a committee from cabinet. It is a cabinet committee which means for you to be in the NSC, you need to be a member of cabinet.”
He added, “The chief secretary cannot be a member of cabinet because to be a member of cabinet, you have to be a member of parliament in the lower house and also be a government minister at the same time.”
Griffith said junior government ministers, classified by the title “minister in the ministry of…” cannot sit in cabinet and therefore are ineligible to be NSC members.
He added even in large cabinets. only a select few cabinet ministers are NSC members.
The prime minister is always the NSC chair. The attorney general and the national security minister are also automatic NSC members. Other cabinet minister who may be NSC members include the finance, energy and foreign affairs ministers.
Griffith said, “The NSC…there is a great degree of confidentiality and secrecy. Even the rest of cabinet doesn’t know about it.”
He repeated, “With that, it makes it impossible for the chief secretary to be a member of the NSC.”
Griffith said even if people are concerned about the radar’s installation, this does not justify Augustine’s inclusion in the NSC.
“Then if that’s the case, then the minister of culture could now demand that she becomes (a members of the) NSC because Carnival, you have many security-related matters.”
Griffith said similar arguments could be made by every other government minister for inclusion in the NSC on the grounds of security concerns affecting their respective portfolios.
He added, “What can happen is that if there is a specific incident or a specific point in the agenda, as it pertains to a specific matter such as praedial larceny, the minister of agriculture will be invited as a guest to attend that specific sitting of the NSC for that specific point in the agenda.”
Griffith hinted Augustine could attend an NSC meeting if Persad-Bissessar agrees to allow him to do so, at a point in the meeting where it “pertains to Tobago’s security…the radar…or whatever.”
He said there is misconception by many people that the police commissioner and the TT Defence Force chief of staff are NSC members. Griffith added they are not.
“They are invited members who are invited by the NSC to give guidance and advice. They have no vote. They have no seat in the NSC.”
No formal political coalition has existed between the UNC and TPP since the April 28 general election. TPP MPs Joel Sampson (Tobago West) and David Thomas (Tobago East) occupy seats next to UNC government backbenchers on the side of the parliament chamber reserved for the government.
Neither Sampson nor Thomas are government ministers (senior or junior) or parliamentary secretaries. Traditionally, parties in the House of Representatives which do not form the government sit in the benches across the aisle in the chamber from those occupied by government MPs. In the House, only the 13 opposition PNM MPs occupy that space.
NOT ONLY did Chief Secretary Farley Augustine announce January 12 as the date for the THA elections, on the evening of December 1, but he also warmly welcomed former chairman of the PNM Tobago West constituency Keigon Denoon into the fold of the ruling Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
Not only that, Denoon was announced as the TPP’s THA election candidate for Buccoo/Mt Pleasant where his opponent is PNM Tobago political leader and former chief secretary Ancil Dennis.
Denoon, a Buccoo native, who serves as the Youth Energised for Success (YES) programme co-ordinator under the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport.
He was introduced by Augustine as the TPP’s final candidate during the party’s presentation of candidates at the Calypso Rose Boulevard of the Milford Road Esplanade in Scarborough on December 1.
Augustine declared: “This political party prides itself in always being a coalition of the competent and the willing. We have in our party people who are TOP, people who are NAR/DAC, people who are Tobago Forwards, people who are UNC, people who are PNM, and we are all Tobagonians fighting for a better Tobago and fighting to ensure we build the greatest little island on the planet.
“And so, our final candidate is a gentleman who some hours ago was the chairman of PNM Tobago West and a few hours later, he decided that enough is enough.” Denoon then mounted the stage to be warmly hugged by Augustine.
Contacted for comment, PNM Tobago Council chairman Learie Paul said on December 2, that he was not surprised.
“From where I sit, you will be disappointed but not surprised or anything – I believe in integrity.”
Paul added: “But then again, he is free to move on and I would like to thank him for his service and I wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Denoon will do battle against the PNM’s political leader Ancil Dennis for the electoral district which was previously held by Sonny Craig. Paul claimed Denoon’s candidacy with the TPP is no challenge for the PNM.
“It means we have to work harder in this electoral district. In politics there are no guarantees and elections are won on election day…so we are going to do what we need to do to win that seat.”
He said as chairman of Tobago West, Denoon would have been at all previous planning meetings for discussions and was well aware of the party’s plans going into this election. He noted that previously, it was rumoured that Denoon was seeking candidacy in another political party and had been questioned on it by the PNM Tobago Council.
“Last week we heard some rumours and then he indicated this was not the case and I took him as a man of his word. Then of course, I was proven wrong.”
PNM Tobago political leader Dennis also weighed-in on Denoon’s defection.
“I respect his democratic right to choose whichever political party he wishes to associate himself with and whichever time he chooses to do that – even if it’s PNM tonight and TPP the same night, that’s fine! That’s his democratic right and we respect that.
“I wish to thank him for his previous contributions to the party and I wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Efforts to contact Denoon for comment proved futile as all calls to his mobile went unanswered.
BUCCOO LIKES KEIGON
When Newsday visited Buccoo, several villagers spoke on the condition of anonymity.
One man said: “Denoon is a very good candidate regardless of which party he chooses, he would represent well. He has my support.”
While another man said: “Keigon is one ah dem fellas that would get my support regardless of which party he’s running with.”
A woman sitting nearby said: “PNM has kept that lad back so much eh, his potential continues to go unnoticed. I think he would do well when selected.”
While another said: “I am indeed satisfied, he is the right man for the job.”
The TPP also revealed that Ian Pollard will return to defend his Mason Hall/Moriah seat. The other 13 candidates were named by Augustine on November 24.
Speaking to supporters during his address on December 1, Augustine said: “On January 12, 2026, we shall have the THA elections. I have so advised the prime minister and together we will advise the President, and the President is expected to issue the election writ on or about December 5. And so we are going to the polls on January 12, 2026.”
Noting that he was prepared to win all 15 seats, Augustine warned supporters present that in this election, big crowds won’t guarantee victory.
“Votes win election. We will walk from house to house. We will knock on every door. We will talk to every Tobagonian, and we will bring the votes out in large numbers on January the 12, 2026.”
CHIEF Secretary Farley Augustine yesterday promised to let the nation know the date of the next Tobago House of Assembly elections within the next six days.
This as the party last evening finalised the list of candidates for 13 of the 15 seats up for grabs, with eight of the incumbents returning to face the electorate in their respective districts. The meeting was held at Shaw Park, where Augustine addressed all those who had offered themselves as candidates.
Speaking to reporters at a grant distribution event hosted by the National Self-Help Commission Limited at the Lowlands Multipurpose Facility, Augustine said the ruling Tobago People’s Party was confident of its chances at the polls.
The assembly was dissolved on November 12, by Augustine as he wound up his contribution to a private motion in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough. The action was taken in accordance with Section 22 of the THA Act 40 of 1996 and paves the way for the THA elections which must be held between January 12 to February 12, 2026.
On the evening of November 24, Newsday was given the official list of the party’s candidates selected to contest the elections. Of the 15 seats, 13 candidates were selected, with candidates for Buccoo/Mt Pleasant and Mason Hall/Moria, still to be selected.
TPP officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the candidates for these two seats would be selected by November 25 and an announcement made.
Party officials also said Augustine intends to stick to the deadline of no later than December 1, in which to announce the date of the election.
