Vernella Calls for Race Talk to Stop

Vernella Toppin
MP for Tobago East

The issue of race continues to be a main talking point on the political platforms of the PNM and TOP, as the race to the polls moves forward. In an interview with Tobago News, Tobago East Representative Vernella Alleyne Toppin, the minister made a plea for the race talk to stop, noting that it sets a dangerous precedence.

"What are we talking about, ethnic cleansing? What are we talking about, you understand? So I am very sad about what he is saying. I think that alone should disqualify Mr. London from being a leader in Tobago," Alleyne- Topin said.

Alleyne- Toppin is confident of the TOP making a clean sweep in the polls, and she is predicting ten to two, or a total twelve seats in the TOP's favor. She is also predicting TOP Leader Ashworth Jack will be the next Chief Secretary.

"I think that the hand of God is on his life," Alleyne- Toppin said.

She does not believe her past Government credit card woes will be a stumbling block towards the TOP winning the January 21st polls. In fact she has no regrets the TOP continues to be one of the four parties of the People's Partnership Government. Pleasing the national public is a hard task, and what she tries most to please God, she insisted.

"Is the government corrupt in your opinion? The government is definitely not corrupt. The government deals with issues very clearly, very fairly, very openly and we have no record of corruption," she said.

She said while some supporters within the PNM will not put on a yellow jersey in fear of victimization, others would listen at home and on election day stain their fingers for the TOP. Tobagonians, she said are encouraged to make the best choice.

"Make a choice for better education, make a choice for better community development, and make a choice for better jobs," she said.

reproduced from the Tobago news

EBC ready for January elections

EBC Office Tobago

The Elections and Boundaries Commission-Tobago arm is ready for the upcoming Tobago House of Assembly Elections. This is according to Registration Officer Pamela Ogiste. Ogiste told Tobago News only the preliminary list is available.

She said persons have been visiting the office to discuss irregularities. "After this, our next list is of course the revised list, which in essence will be the list for the election," Ogiste said.

Ogiste said additional offices have been opened in Tobago East to facilitate persons there. "We've also open our office at Roxborough which operates fulltime, as well we have opened a temporary centre at the Castara Community Centre, and that will be in operation for the full nine days, which started the 20th and goes to the 28th," Ogiste said.

When Tobago News visited the EBC office, several persons were observed verifying that they would be eligible to cast their ballots come January 21. Ogiste confirmed that over 46,000 are presently registered to vote in the THA elections. "The list as at the 20th of November was 46,850 or so which is more than the list for 2009, and as I said the final list revised again, the figure may differ," Ogiste said.

Meanwhile, members of the PNM met with officials of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), at the Scott House Office Trinidad last Tuesday. PNM Tobago Council Education Officer Rennie Dumas when asked to give an update on the meeting told this paper the meeting with the EBC went well.

"Discrepancies with respect to the voters list was brought to the EBC's attention, and it was said the concerns would be looked at and addressed promptly if found wanting. The PNM cannot canvas persons who are not on the electoral list," Dumas said.

Some of the persons present at the meeting included PNM Tobago Council Education Officer Rennie Dumas, PNM's General Secretary Ashton Ford, PNM Tobago Council Secretary Joel Jack and for the EBC Chairman Norbert Masson, and other EBC officials.

Dumas said the PNM will await the revelation of the final electoral revised list in going further on the matter.

The EBC collects data for this population of 1.3 million. There are sixty-seven polling divisions and twelve districts. According to Chairman of the EBC Norbert Masson, no unusual pre- election activity has been observed to date. Masson said all persons should cooperate with the Commission at this time as there is a free flow of persons from one address to another. "Any calls of tampered lists, and missing names is premature and unfounded at this time," Masson said.

reproduced from the Tobagonews

London Says: PM Can't Trigger THA Election.

Chief Secretary of Tobago House of Assembly, Orville London

The Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is presumptuous in trying to force the hand of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) in calling  an early THA election, said Chief Secretary Orville London. He was responding to her (Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar) call last night made at a gathering at her private residence in Phillipine, South Trinidad. 

Orville London stated that only the THA has that power. He took a political jab at the Peoples Partnership saying that the Prime Minister and her Government was only good at diversionary tactics in an attempt to sway the citizenry away from pressing issues of the country, especially as it relates to Section 34 fiasco and the public outcry that resulted. He further noted "That neither the Prime Minister, Minister (Herbert) Volney, Minister (Jack) Warner or any other member of her Cabinet has in fact said anything to convince the public that there was not some sinister motive behind the decision to have the clause enacted."

London stressed the Prime Minister has not told the country why there seems to be in her Cabinet a clear distinction between what he called the "dispensables" and the "untouchables".

"Because you get that feeling that in the Cabinet the dispensables are the people you can throw to the public to give the impression that you are firm, that you are strong, that you have integrity. The untouchables will do the same thing or worse, and nothing happens," London said.

According to the THA Act 40 of 1996, the Tobago House of Assembly has no less than two months and no more than three months in which to call the election, but the Chief Secretary reminded the Prime Minister that the election cannot be triggered by her, nor is he hoping she will attempt to impose her will on the people of Tobago and the THA.

"I think the Prime Minister is a little presumptuous, quite honestly, to be telling us in the THA that we should call elections. The election will be called when the THA as an institution believes that we will set the date, and then the President will call the election after consultation," London Said.

CALL THA ELECTIONS NOW!

Prime Minister
Kamla Persad-Bissesar

CALL the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections now.

This was the challenge thrown out to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday.

Last Thursday, Rowley, during a news conference at his Port of Spain office, said, "They (Government) do not deserve to be in office, they have betrayed the trust of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. They are stained and they are shamed, and they must leave office and we are calling for elections now," Rowley said.

Persad-Bissessar, addressing a gathering at her private residence in Phillipine, South Trinidad, said, "We challenge you (Rowley) call the THA elections now. That is the only one that is due and we will not sacrifice the votes and the trust and the mandate of the electorate of Trinidad and Tobago to do the thing that Mister Manning did twice, early elections."

Former prime minister Patrick Manning and former leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) called early general elections twice—once in 1995, which he lost to the United National Congress (UNC) and its then leader Basdeo Panday, and then in 2010, which he lost to the People's Partnership government led by Persad-Bissessar.

Persad-Bissessar said, "So Mister Rowley be a Tobago-born soldier, call the THA elections now. Dissolve the THA. Let us go forth. We are rising to the top with the TOP (Tobago Organisation of the People) because, for the first time in the history of this country, people of Tobago are given due respect side by side. Mister Rowley tell Mister (Orville) London to dissolve the THA and I will make the date for the election."

London is the THA's Chief Secretary. The election must take place by January 2013.

Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar hosted a pre-budget function at her home, where all ministers, Members of Parliament, regional corporations, non-governmental organisations and other groups were invited to attend.

The Prime Minister also told her guests she will continue to listen to the people and her government is "alive and strong".

She said, "I am fortified in my view that the Partnership is alive strong and we have demonstrated as a team that even if we should misstep or falter, that the collective good is greater than the individual good. There have been times when you have asked questions, as I have, and as ministers have and MPs ask. There have been questions that we have asked, and it is right and fitting that we ask those questions because when we ask those questions it makes us better."

Persad-Bissessar said, "The answers make us improve and do better than we did yesterday.

She said, "If any one of us falters and fails, I will have no compunction but to remove them out of the very government office because, at the end of the day, it is not about one of us, it is about all of us. I will always listen to the people, I will continue to listen and then lead. I will stay very strong and very focused. You gave us a mandate here and we will continue to carry out that mandate to serve the people."

She also announced that on Saturday there will be a rally at Mid Centre Mall in Chaguanas at 2 p.m. The purpose of the rally will be to discuss the upcoming budget.

Reproduced from Trinidad Express