Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 15/Jan 06:55

Farley-Kamla alliance

THE EDITOR: Farley Augustine’s victory in Tobago is significant in some ways. Firstly, it shows that Tobagonians approve of what Augustine is doing and, critically, it seems a vote against the People's National Movement (PNM), similarly trounced in a previous election, with this resounding victory suggesting that the PNM is on the way out. But more significantly, this victory of the Tobago People's Party seems an endorsement of Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the United National Congress, for there is much to suggest that Augustine was in alliance with Persad-Bissessar, testimony to which is the increased budgetary allocation in the last budget and the overtures about Tobago autonomy. And the much vented criticism of the Persad-Bissessar/US alliance, radar and all, did not seem to have much impact on the Tobago vote, if even one may argue that such vote was more anti-PNM rather than pro-Persad-Bissessar. [caption id="attachment_1202347" align="alignnone" width="718"] UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar - Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] Perhaps it is worthwhile to speculate that although Persad-Bissessar has been criticised for many of her initiatives, singularly her alliance with the US, and, of course, her cost-cutting measures and the rigid application of traffic laws did not make much of a difference to Tobagonians at the polls. What is apparent from this Tobago election is that beneath all the “sound and fury” associated with the old way of thinking, there is a large body of opinion that supports the new thinking in more ways than one. DR ERROL N BENJAMIN via e-mail   The post Farley-Kamla alliance appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.