Tobago
Narissa Fraser
Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) POLITICAL Leader Watson Duke is questioning why a sea stage is being built in Rockly Bay, Tobago.
He accused the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) of betraying the expectations of Tobagonians, reminding them of the Sandals resort fiasco.
On Tuesday, Environmental Management Authority (EMA) managing director Hayden Romano told Newsday that infrastructure projects, including the offshore stage, were being carried out without environmental clearance certificates (CECs).
During THA’s mandate briefing on Monday, chief secretary Farley Augustine said the stage would be permanent and “environmentally safe”.
“It’s a link to the public infrastructure, the road infrastructure on that road. You’ll be able to go and get your photos there and so on…
“It means that for future public street parties, cultural street items that happen along Milford Street, there will be a permanent fixture there.”
But in a Facebook post on Tuesday night, the Duke said he was beginning to question his team’s ability to “properly manage Tobago’s economic, social and cultural development according to the people’s mandate given on December 6, 2021.” .
He then gave examples of what he believes is “childish public behavior.
“Construction of a permanent performance stage within Scarborough Beach (at) THA without the necessary permission and approvals from the EMA.
“Remember when the PDP protested basic(d) sandals over environmental concerns?”
In 2019, Sandals Resort walked away from an agreement with the government to build a resort in Tobago.
Duke, then the THA minority leader, and his team did not support the plan to build the resort there.
In his Facebook post, the Duke also mentioned the Sabbath service held Saturday at Mason Hall SDA Church for its 75th anniversary, in which the Prime Minister and Augustine sat next to each other.
“(Augustini) says to the Prime Minister who is sitting in the front row ‘…the Prime Minister and I who do not share political philosophy and party, now we can share the same party…’
“Why is he sucking the Prime Minister’s big toe and trying to breathe in the oxygen he exhales?”
The Duke also said that the Tobago carnival committee was ignoring the importance of Trinidad’s carnival artisans “in creating and displaying carnival costumes of every kind or type that the human mind can think of and relies on Grenada for guidance.
“Is THA now moving backwards into the future?”
THA recently chose to seek help from Grenada to organize its carnival.
The Duke added, “These childish experiments with public funds are not condoned or supported by the PDP executive and is yet another betrayal of the expectations of Tobagonians by this incompetent executive.
“My advice to the team is to listen to the people of Tobago who put you in office and stop selling us with your pseudo intelligence.”
In a video, he again referred to Monday’s mandate, saying it was a failure and the longest such meeting he had ever seen, lasting over six hours.
