Hands off Tobago

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London declared that “the major issue in this (January 17 THA) elections is keeping Tobago out of the hands of (DAC leader) Hochoy Charles.” Addressing a mass PNM rally at the Signal Hill Senior Comprehensive School on Sunday, London said Tobagonians must not forget the hardships they endured during the “Hochoy Charles era,” and listed several reasons why Charles must never again be allowed to manage Tobago’s affairs. Zeroing in on Charles’ “inability to forge a working relationship between the THA and central Government,” London said, “They (DAC and NAR) are saying we (PNM) are doing so well because it is PNM (THA), PNM (Government). When we came in (in 2001), we operated for almost a year with PNM in Tobago and UNC/NAR in Trinidad. That’s when I coined the term ‘corridors of cooperation.’

I made the point at that time that regardless of whatsoever was the political party, there must be corridors of cooperation between central Government and the THA.” Recalling that Charles’ NAR could not clear a $150 million with former government, London reminded his audience that a PNM-led THA was able to do so with the UNC. “We came out after an hour with $50 million in cash and a credit line of $100 million to take care of Tobago people. We did that with a Government that Hochoy and them put into power,” he declared. Stating that the January 17 polls were all about choice, London said people must know who they are voting for. He quoted public statements made by two long-time colleagues of Charles, Nathaniel Moore and Everett John, to show why Tobagonians should not vote for Charles, saying more would be revealed on the campaign trail.

“Don’t put God behind and ever think about bringing back those people. Hochoy Charles learnt to smile after he lost elections,” London warned. Noting that the NAR described Charles as a liability after he failed to win the Tobago West seat in 2002, London asked: “Why should Tobago want you if the NAR says you are a liability? Referring to the PNM’s 2001 Tobago manifesto, Charles listed the achievements of his administration over the last four years to show that the PNM was “on course” in Tobago. Chief among them were start of construction of the new Scarborough Hospital, new secondary and primary schools and a reduction in crime.

London said aircraft wetleased at a cost of $50 million had brought considerable relief to the Tobago airbridge and come December 20, 21, “a beautiful lady” named MV Sonia would do the same for the Tobago seabridge and would be “joined by two sisters” in early 2005. London also spoke about $2.2 million which the THA had allocated towards a multitude of training programmes on the island and he expected 300 persons to benefit from them. “We may not have been a perfect administration but in the final analysis, you select us because we are the best choices available to you,” London declared. The PNM will next present its THA candidates to the public at the Scarborough Market Car Park on January 2. Party sources hinted that Prime Minister Patrick Manning is likely to address that meeting.