Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 13/Jan 03:11

TPP trounces PNM 15-0 in THA elections

THE Tobago People's Party (TPP) under Farley Augustine swept the Tobago House Assembly (THA) elections on January 12, taking all 15 seats, ahead of the PNM. The TPP declared victory at minutes past 9 pm, improving its result from its 14-one seat tally in 2021, where the PNM's Kelvon Morris had won his seat by just three votes in 2021. Up to 10.50 pm, Augustine had not given a public address. The PNM spent the rest of the evening waiting with bated breath to see if Morris could retain his Darrel Spring/Whim seat. By 10 pm it became evident that Morris had lost his seat. Minutes after 10 pm, Dennis confirmed he will step down as the PNM Tobago leader, saying, "I support the transition to new leadership." He said the party will seek recounts in several seats including Darrel Spring/Whim where he said Morris had lost by 17 votes. The result continues the TPP's electoral success. In the 2021 THA polls, the PDP (whose members became TPP) won 58 per cent (16,932 votes), ahead of the PNM's 41 per cent (11,942 votes) and IDA's one per cent (295 votes). In the 2025 general election, the TPP, promoting itself as the sole Tobago-centric party, snatched two parliamentary seats on 55 per cent of votes cast, by winning 13,857 votes in Tobago to the PNM's 11,000 votes. The sweeping THA elections win was predicted by Augustine but analysts had shied away from declaring a winner. Political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath recently told Newsday, “I wouldn’t venture to say if there is a clear winner at this stage." Augustine remains a popular figure in Tobago and said his party planned to use the next four years to build the island. But the PNM tried to poke holes on Tobago issues and national issues, adding that the TPP's relationship with the UNC government was not in Tobago's interest. The electorate thought otherwise. Speculation was rife as to what issues swayed Tobagonians. Were they local issues such as the location of a US military radar at the ANR Robinson Airport pertinent, even as the government had denied helping the US against the Venezuelan government? Or were the national issues such as the new hefty traffic fines introduced by the government and the increase in late fees from $350 to $650 on top of the $500 fee for a new driver's permit going to affect voters? The issues of the THA procurement of ambulances was also on the campaign topics. After the US military snatched Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, amid the loss of as many as 100 lives of Venezuelan and Cuban defenders, Augustine declared if the Tobago-based radar had helped the Americans he would "mash up" the radar himself. [caption id="attachment_1201664" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Chief Secretary Farley Augustine displays his finger after voting at the Speyside Anglican School during the THA elections on January 12.[/caption] The PNM had sought to fuel speculation that Tobago could soon see Trinidad-styled closures of the Cepep and URP programmes. Augustine had accused the PNM of fearmongering in their campaign and denied accusations by the PNM of planning to fire workers and selling out No Man's Land to a private developer. Despite the resounding defeat, Dennis paid tribute to the PNM's "excellent candidates." He said the party accepted the overall results, saying it was democracy at work. Dennis told reporters his party has run "a solid campaign" but it had not garnered enough support. "Do not lose hope in the PNM and do not lose hope in Tobago," he urged listeners. Dennis said the PNM had detected significant dissatisfaction among Tobago voters, yet that was not reflected on election day. This time some 42 candidates vied for 15 seats. Both the PDP and PNM each contested all 15 seats,while the Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) under Denise Tsoiafatt Angus contested 11 and the Unity of the People under Nickocy Phillips contested one. The TPP campaigned on its performance and delivery, and offered a 20-year blueprint for the island. The PNM criticised the defection to the TPP of former PNM Tobago West campaign manager Keigon Denoon, plus the purchase of 12 ambulances for $18 million. The poll was somewhat marred by a fight in Bon Accord between a TPP supporter and several PNM supporters who were accused of burning her flag and attacking her. The EBC reported there were no irregularities in voting. As to a few voters who had been unsure of their polling station, EBC head Fern Narcis-Scope said they should have better informed themselves and that elections were not static but could undergo changes from time to time. Last time in 2021 the Progressive Democratic Democrats (PDP) led by Watson Duke swept to victory, winning 14 seats to just one by the PNM's Morris. Morris won by edging the PDP's Abby Taylor by just 849 to 846 votes. Ahead of the December 2021 THA polls, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) had created three new seats to both reflect population changes and to prevent any recurrence of an election tie such as the previous PDP-PNM six-six result that saw a gridlocked house in January 2021. These were Lambeau/Lowlands, Darrel Spring/Whim and Mt St George/Goodwood. Further, ahead of the January 12 election,the EBC changed boundaries in two seats. These were Mason Hall/Moriah which became Mason Hall North/Moriah plus Bagatelle/Bacelot which became Mason Hall South/Bagatelle. Ten seats which remained unchanged up to now since the 2017 election, where the PNM won ten seats and the PDP two. These were Belle Gardens/Glamorgan, Bethel/New Grange, Bethesda/Les Coteaux, Bon Accord/Crown Point, Buccoo/Mt Pleasant, Parlatuvier/L'anse Fourmi/Speyside, Plymouth/Black Rock, Roxborough/Argyle, Scarborough/Mt Grace and Signal Hill/Patience Hill. THE Tobago People's Party (TPP) under Farley Augustine swept the Tobago House Assembly (THA) elections on January 12, taking all 15 seats, ahead of the PNM. The post TPP trounces PNM 15-0 in THA elections appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.