With the Tobago House of Assembly officially dissolved and elections scheduled, the People’s National Movement (PNM) has expressed strong confidence in its campaign to regain governance of the autonomous island territory.
PNM Tobago political leader Ancil Dennis revealed the party’s extensive preparations, noting they anticipated the election window between January 12 and February 12 following the assembly’s dissolution on November 12. Under the THA Act, elections must be called within three months after the four-year term concludes.
The PNM began candidate screening as early as June and finalized its full slate of candidates across all 15 electoral districts by August. Dennis emphasized that these candidates have been actively engaging with constituents since their selection, positioning the election as a referendum on the current administration’s performance from 2021 to present.
The party plans to introduce a comprehensive development vision focusing on tourism expansion, agricultural revitalization, renewable energy initiatives, job creation, and housing construction programs designed to restore opportunities for Tobago residents.
The election announcement came on December 1 during a Tobago People’s Party (TPP) event where Chief Secretary Farley Augustine presented his candidates, including former PNM Tobago West chairman Keigon Denoon.
This electoral contest follows the unprecedented 2021 THA election that resulted in a historic 6-6 deadlock between PNM and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP), prompting electoral reform that expanded districts from 12 to 15. The subsequent December 2021 election saw PDP secure a landslide 14-1 victory, ending nearly two decades of PNM dominance. However, political realignments saw 13 PDP assemblymen resign in 2022, leading to the formation of Augustine’s TPP, which recently secured both Tobago parliamentary seats in the April general election.