Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Aujourd'hui 10:18

Long, winding road to self-government

THE EDITOR: The recent victory of a Tobago-based party in the THA polls presents an opportune time for the progressive forces on the island to make the final push for true and meaningful internal self-government for Tobago. I use the true and meaningful as there has been no shortage of political gimmickry and dishonesty that have raised and dashed the hopes of Tobagonians for decades. Therefore, any genuine legislative arrangement must treat the Tobagonian people with fairness, dignity and respect. That is, Tobago must have the framework to generate revenue, develop its infrastructure and exercise a greater degree of control over its resources. To achieve this is not a simple task and the Chief Secretary would be prudent in appointing a secretary with specific responsibility for devolution/self-government and governance. The task of this individual should not be to start a fresh drafting of proposals, as we have enough legislative frameworks dating from the Seemungal draft of the 70s to the last bill of the Rowley administration. We can take the best bits from those draft frameworks to put together a robust and respectable legislative document acceptable to Tobagonians and that reflects the aspirations of the people of Tobago. The fact is, successive central governments of all iterations, including both the PNM and the UNC, have never demonstrated the political will, interest or appetite for facilitating genuine self-government for Tobago. They have repeatedly shown a token approach, often ignoring the intersectional uniqueness of the Tobagonian people within their unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. Tobagonians have historically demonstrated their abilities in governance. In fact, some of the key architects of our early years as an independent nation were Tobagonians. Doddridge Alleyne, Eugenio Moore, Victor Bruce, ANR Robinson, to name a few. Tobagonians can no longer accept political gimmicks of the kicking of the ball into the long grass by appointment of joint select committees while pretending to be adopting a bipartisan approach. Instead, the self-interest and neo-colonial ambitions of Trinidad-based parties have stymied the process for decades. This has not only hurt Tobagonians economically and psychologically, but has also weakened the national economic potential of the nation. It's time to understand that Tobago autonomy is not a matter to be treated as if it's yours to grant a favour. It's the inalienable right of Tobagonians to have the goal of self-determination. The danger is that the longer the aspirations of Tobagonians are delayed and denied, it is likely to harden the resolve of a minority who will use this as an excuse to agitate for secession. This is in no one’s interest, not the least Tobago. The people of Tobago have spoken, let their will be respected. AUDLEY GRAHAM via e-mail The post Long, winding road to self-government appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.