Ashworth Jack Cries Victimization

Ashworth Jack, Leader of the
Tobago Organisation of the People

The political leader of the Tobago Organisation of the People(TOP) Ashworth Jack, has accused the London administration of using "cheap political tricks" in order to win the upcoming Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.

His statements were made yesterday, in reference to what he believes to be a "calculated ploy" by the PNM-controlled THA to prevent the TOP from meeting next week Tuesday for their annual sports and family day.

The TOP's "sports and family day"  was scheduled to be held on the Divali public holiday November 13 at the Mason Recreation Ground. The event in which they received written permission to host was entitled "Top man can cook".

A "spectacular light-up in the night", according to a flier for the event, was scheduled in honour of Divali. Fliers, banners, billboards, and other print and electronic media, were used to advertise the event.

"We were using the event to garner our support and spend time with our members, in preparation for the upcoming election," Jack told the Express in a telephone interview yesterday. However, when the organisers went to the Mason Hall Recreation Ground yesterday, the field was dug up.

Information reaching the the TOP indicated that the ground was dug up to lay electricity cables to facilitate a lighting project for the field.

Jack indicated that "We have no problem with them providing lights for the field, we welcome that. What we are concerned with is the timing of the work".

The TOP has now relocated its sports and family day event, Jack said.

"We invited people to the venue, and now, we have to do a whole new advertising scheme in order to take care of the change of venue," he said.
Jack indicated that the TOP will remain resilient, despite all the attempts by the PNM to dishearten them.
He said the TOP has been facing difficulties in securing space to host public meetings.
Jack said last weekend, the Ministry of Sport scheduled a mini-sport caravan, but none of the THA grounds were made available.
"We have to win this election to ensure that this does not happen again to anyone, regardless of political affiliation," Jack said.

The event is now carded to be held at the Mount Grace Recreation