tidings
PDP political leader Watson Duke, left, takes a broom from an Argyle resident during a walk before the recent THA election. FILE PHOTO –
From “bark we fix dis” to “time to fix dis”, Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) leader Watson Duke on Monday said the PDP-led Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is not fulfilling its mandate when it is about creating jobs.
Duke’s comments came four days after THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine promised to make a statement on Duke’s future role as Deputy Chief Secretary.
At the Executive Council’s post press conference last Thursday, Augustini said he would review Duke’s responsibilities and a decision would be announced, via a media release, over the weekend.
On that occasion, he accused Duke of shirking some of his responsibilities as deputy chief secretary.
Augustine also said that the Duke could be relieved of his responsibilities altogether.
However, Augustine has failed to address the issue in the time period he specified.
Unlike Agustin, Duka has gone on the offensive and removed the post of PPD deputy.
Augustine’s review of the Deputy Chief Secretary’s duties came in the wake of Duke’s claim that THA had abandoned about 27 members of the Roxborough Folk Performers who had gone to New York to perform at several events during the Labor Day celebrations.
Augustini said the assembly did not send the group to New York and was merely a partial sponsor for the trip.
He said a promissory note had been issued to a travel agency for the flights due to the tight deadline. He said THA provided $400,417.50 in financial support to the group to cover airline tickets.
On Monday, the Duke insisted that THA had turned its back on Tobagonians
In a post on his Facebook page on Monday, Duka said that nine months ago the PPD campaigned for the creation of jobs and employment opportunities for young people.
He said that this promise has not yet been fulfilled.
“Today, nine months after occupying the THA executive, young people are looking for work/employment and opportunities,” he said.
The Duke claimed that he has not heard of any plans from Augustine to create jobs.
“What is the plan of ‘One Boss, One Chief Secretary and One Team?’ I haven’t heard of anything. Have you heard the plan?”
He said: “Without a vision, a people is lost.
“It’s time to stop the power grab and put people before politics.”
In a video attached to the post, two men in a fish stall are heard complaining that the PPD was no different from the PNM.
One man warned that if young people do not have jobs, they are likely to turn to criminal activities.
“When we go out to rush and we have money and we don’t have bulls, they go to rob us and kill us,” he said.
Maraj: Don’t miss your chance
Political commentator Ralph Maraj described the power struggle between the Duke and Augustine as “utterly tragic”.
“Isn’t the party (PDP) now weakened because of this?” And after such an overwhelming mandate from the people of Tobago?” he said.
Maraj told Newsday, Duka made a mistake by publicly criticizing the THA of which he is a member.
He also believes that Augustine should not have publicly threatened to review the Duke’s role as Deputy Chief Secretary.
Maraj also spoke about the Duke’s dismissal to his PD deputies.
“It’s all quite childish. But very sad.”
The former government minister said that Agustin, upon taking office, made a good impression on him as chief secretary.
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“He showed great promise as a politician for the entire nation. But as I always maintain, wisdom and maturity are necessary for success in politics.”
He said that democracy requires strong political parties and an electorate should always have strong and credible alternatives to any party in power.
“PDP leaders should not squander the chances of the party that seemed to have a bright future in Trinidad and Tobago politics.”
Duke ‘playing his hand’
Political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath does not believe that the PDP, at this stage, is imploding.
He said that the Duke is just “playing his hand” to show that he is still the ultimate leader of the party despite Augustini being the general secretary.
“But saying that he is the ultimate leader, the Duke must also understand that the ultimate leaders remain only the ultimate leaders as long as the populace is willing to give them their support,” Ragoonath said.
“He may be the ultimate leader of the PDP, but if the citizens and voters in Tobago don’t see that these decisions the party is making are in the best interest of Tobago, then they will start asking questions and the Duke and the executive of the party. will find themselves in some hot water with the electorate.”
He said the electorate will have to “put the Duke in a corner” and explain to him that he may be the maximum leader of the PDP but not necessarily the maximum leader of Tobago.
“That will be the real issue.”
Recalling that Duke had anointed Augustin as the PDP’s choice for general secretary long before the THA elections, Ragoonath said that Duke should accept that Augustin has the power to review his performance.
But Ragoonath, a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, UWI, St Augustine, also wondered how Tobagonians viewed the two men as individuals.
For example, he said, they may well see Augustine as grateful because the Duke gave him the job or vice versa, that he is the most level choice to hold the position of chief secretary.
“If that’s the case, then the Duke is left hanging in the air.”
Ragoonath said Tobagonians may very well be caught between a rock and a hard place in deciding between the work of the THA, under the leadership of Augustine, as against being loyal to the PDP.
