THE INNOVATIVE Democratic Alliance (IDA) has described as “a PR package,” Prime Minister Stuart Young’s plans for Tobago if PNM wins the April 28 general election.
During his address at a PNM rally at the Signal Hill Secondary School, on April 6, Young outlined a slew of initiatives aimed at developing various sectors on the island.
These include new state-of-the-art interceptors to safeguard Tobago’s porous borders; upgrade of the cruise ship complex; complete refurbishment of the Dwight Yorke Complex; a new cargo vessel and the introduction of a MILAT programme to for troubled youth.
In a statement on April 7, the IDA described the initiatives as “a basket of politically timed goodies.”
The party said while it acknowledged the need for development, “what was offered is not development. It was a PR package, polished, timed, for political convenience and filled with surface level promises that fail to address Tobago’s most pressing need: respect and responsibility for our own affairs.”
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It further described the package as “short term, superficial and sorely lacking in substance.
“This is not development – it is distraction. That is not empowerment, it is public relations. And Tobagonians are no longer falling for it.”
The IDA said Tobago doesn’t need handouts or what it called “high-level tokenism.
“Tobago needs hands on power, genuine respect and the right to manage our own destiny.”
It asked, “Why didn’t he say that Tobago will be allowed to fully manage its tourism sector under the Fifth Schedule, not just administratively but strategically, that we will determine the type of tourism we want, choose who we negotiate with and decide how our people benefit?”
The IDA said it should have been the ones inviting Young to a meeting with the Sandals executives “if that’s even who we choose, not the other way around.
“That is the spirit of the Fifth Schedule. That is what autonomy means. But once again, Tobago is being managed not respected.”
The party said Young should have announced that Tobagonians will be included in all national deals involving Tobago’s assets, including the island’s share of the oil and gas sector.
It added, “Why didn’t he announce the return of birth and death registration services in Tobago – removing the bureaucratic burden from grieving families?
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“Why didn’t he commit to making it easier to start a business in Tobago, so local entrepreneurs are supported rather than stalled?”
The IDA said the fact that these issues were not even mentioned confirms that the administration is not prepared for real reform.
“It doesn’t want collaboration – it wants control. And how can a government that can’t manage the affairs of Trinidad, with a collapsed economy, ongoing forex (foreign exchange) shortages and rising public frustration, turn around and claim the authority to run Tobago too?”
The party said in its interactions with Tobagonians, it had received frequent complaints about this “top-down, one-way relationship.
“The people are ready for a new political model, one that puts power, participation and purpose back into their hands. That’s what the IDA is offering.
“We are the only party advancing a Bill of Community Rights to protect local voices, local assets, and local decision making. We are calling for real constitutional reform that decentralises power and makes Tobago an equal partner, not a dependent state.”
