Government and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) have progressed on internal self government for Tobago and must now determine the substance of new legislation for this. Chief Secretary Orville London says the Opposition PNM will support the THA’s stance on this. A Government/THA accord on the issue was reached yesterday at a joint Cabinet meeting with the THA executive council at the Magdalena Grand Resort in Tobago.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said an assemblyman had told her the meeting was historic, since it was the first of its kind. “Despite the inclement weather (in Tobago) we had a great day, we had a very interesting successful meeting. Our goals are the same though we may take different pathways,” Persad-Bissessar said on the self government issue.
The PM said she would meet again with the THA on the issue in January. What has to be worked out now is the substance of legislation and if there is agreement by all, she believes it will move forward “pretty quickly.” London, also signalling the THA had a foothold on the pathway to self-government, said, “It was very heartening for all of us to sit as representatives of T&T to discuss business. I must commend all participants on the quality of discussions, the camaraderie, collaboration and co-operation existing in the room.”
He added, “Two major issues were discussed and I’m comforted by what has come out of the discussions. On the first, internal self government for Tobago, central Government reiterated commitment to the concept. “The Prime Minister said she will discuss with the Cabinet my recommendation that all parties come together and have a united front in Tobago and the same thing should happen at the national level (on this). “I hope soon there will be an agreement for representatives of all in Tobago—THA and central Government—both Government and opposition—to have the type of talks that will bring; satisfactory conclusion to this longstanding issues.”
London said he hoped the promises would be realised based on what happened in coming weeks and months. “We won’t place political agendas before Tobago development. The PM has also made that commitment. I hope this is a signal we’ve reached a new phase between Government and the THA,” London said.
Saying self-government could only be achieved by parliamentary legislation, he said: “If we continue to walk the talk, and we’ve made a very public commitment, to walk the talk where this is concerned, therefore I don’t see either of us being able to back out of this.”
Persad Bissessar, endorsing his comments on the self-government issue, said Cabinet will deliberate to see how the parties can move forward. “We may have had our differences along the way, but we all have the same vision and purpose to improve the quality of life of Trinidad and Tobago and once we keep to that purpose we can work together,” she said.
Saying a new bill would require a special majority vote for passage, the PM said even if the PP Government agreed with the THA or other Tobago parties on the issue, if the Opposition PNM didn’t agree, as they did on the last occasion the bill was presented, it could not be made law. “So Mr London is correct in saying we all have to work together to make it happen (and) we’ve demonstrated that,” she said.
‘No early election’
Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has said that general elections are not “around the corner.” “There is no early election, it’s not around the corner,” she said following a meeting with the Tobago House of Assembly. “There is no early, round the corner elections. It’ll be called when constitutionally due.”
