TOBAGO People’s Party (TPP) Tobago West candidate Joel Sampson has called on young people and undecided voters to reject the People’s National Movement’s (PNM’s) candidates in the April 28 general election.
He was addressing supporters at a TPP political meeting in Crown Point on April 5.
Sampson, who is the THA Secretary of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport and assemblyman for Canaan/Bon Accord, said the island had not progressed under MPs Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis (Tobago West) and Ayanna Webster-Roy (Tobago East).
Both women have been representing the constituencies since 2015.
Sampson said, “Young people, I hope you are listening. This is your time. Fist-time voters, undecided hearts, I am talking to you. Ask yourself, ‘Do you want to inherit this same fight ten years from now or do you want to start changing it today?
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“The PNM has had ten years and nothing to show for it in Tobago. Nothing but disrespect, nothing but denial.”
He said the date of the general election was a case in point.
“It is a slap in the face of Tobago and Tobago’s dignity. Let’s start there. While guesthouses were preparing for the Easter influx, vendors were stocking up, taxi drivers and every business on the island were counting on the boost in sales, this government decided that there was no other date on a 365 day calendar to hold an election.
“Party before people. They simply do not care. And those who were sent to speak for Tobago, they sat silent, no protest, no resistance.”
Sampson said the land-acquisition process to facilitate the expansion of the ANR Robinson International Airport was badly handled.
“Airport expansion, land acquisition done with disrespect. Residents moved with no clear plan for their future.
“It was this Chief Secretary that stepped in and said ‘Nuttsy, we cyah leave we people so.’ We heard your cries and saw your plight.”
He added, “It was this (THA) administration that agreed to allowing land at $15 per square foot, with a lease that allows for inter-generational ownership. That means that your children can own that property and so can their children.
“With $100 down payment and our lawyers’ pen, they now have their own property while your MP was busy fighting Mr (Wolwin) Lovell (Crown Point resident) in court, we were making sure that the people they put out had a roof over their heads.”
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Sampson accused the government of punishing Tobagonians for “daring to believe in self-governance.”
He said, “The document we submitted for autonomy, our rightful request for power over our own affairs was rejected and dismissed. They didn’t even want to hear Tobago’s voice.”
Sampson also accused State-owned Caribbean Airlines of treating Tobago “like a backyard. Show up when they want, leave when they want, no commitment to our tourism sector, our economy or our dignity.”
Sampson said he was a servant of the people.
“They try to call me ‘mumu Nutsy,’ thinking my kindness is weakness. Well let me tell them today. Don’t mistake humility for silence. Don’t mistake service for softness.
“I came to serve, not to stunt. I am not a PR machine. I don’t need a stage or a script. I need your trust and Tobago needs its power.”
TPP political leader Farley Augustine, the party’s Tobago East candidate David Thomas, Deputy Chief Secretary Dr Faith Brebnor and Anslem Richards, technical adviser, Division of Finance, also spoke.
