Miscellany

In what is definitely a dawning dilemma, Tobago is realising it is trapped within a democracy that might not be democratic - enough. In the last House of Assembly elections (as per THA Hose of Assembly Act:1980), a select 11 were mandated to manage Tobago’s business. Unexpectedly, neither of the favoured parties won; instead the black flag went to the People’s Democratic Party which took the vote 6/6. One year later on revisiting the the polls to settle the unprecedented occurrence the newcomers - albeit under a new banner (TPP), obliterated the favoured ones (the PNM) relegating them to just the single win. This, despite legal re-arrangement and adding of electoral seats¹

Present day

At close of work (play) 2024, the Tobago People’s Party has realised that winning an election does not necessarily ensure democratic ascension to (a position of) power. Long story short, the ruling People’s National Movement though badly beaten in Tobago, still holds the national reins and with it - keys to the natinal coffers - from which monies for Tobago must come.

What this translates to over the 3 years just elapsed is; the TPP were only ever given enough money to pay the recurring wage bill for THA hires. They never had enough to deliver on their campaign promises. With election ‘soon come’ January 2026, odds are the local population will reject the upstart TPP and go back to the party with more ‘corn’¹.

What’s next?

The only avenue open to the TPP is to embrace the ‘Tobago drive to autonomy’, a Pandora’s box of emotions unleashed by the PNM when they held the THA in the first decade of the 2000’s. This is a high agenda to roll out in a relatively short time - to a people who are accustomed to living life high on the spoils of oil and gas (production). Odds are, having felt the squeeze of austerity during the last 3 years of TPP, the general population will go back to what they know - the PNM party will have more corn.

Maybe maybe not. Recent events may skew things in favour of the TPP. Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr Keith Rowley his announced his intention to resign the post in late February (2025) and has anointed a successor - Stuart Young as the next PM - after which Young will face the electorate. At that point the TPP back here in Tobago will breathe easier. As, Stuart Young’s run for prime ministership is not anywhere certaintly.

Allowing that Young fails and the United National Congress (UNC) brings a coalition Government in, the TPP will have some sort of a fighting chance at running the 2026-2030 THA. Essentially, the aspirations of the TPP will rest on this. Further, odds the embittered Farley Augustine will do a deal with the UNC to secure such an outcome. If any of this turns out to be th case, then democracy is just a dead man walking.

Why do we care?

Environment Tobago is driven to champion sustainable development in Trinidad and Tobago - moreso the latter cos it’s home. Agenda 2030² is high on our minds though far from our grasp, should the present way of doing things continue. While this NGO supports the TPP’s push for an autonomous Tobago - as we did for the PNM’s effort under Orville London, there is worry that the definition of what that Autonomy entails is not widely known.

Already we see that the TPP has learned - is capable of, reworking their fancy manifesto to suit expedient political circumstances. This is a skill which places them in pretty exalted company. And we worry that our agenda will fall to the old form -autonomous democracy