The Tobago Council of the People’s National Movement (PNM) will officially unveil its electoral manifesto on December 13, precisely one month before voters head to the polls for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections on January 12. The announcement was made by PNM Tobago Council leader and Buccoo/Mt Pleasant candidate, Ancil Dennis, who confirmed the party will simultaneously present its full slate of 15 selected candidates at a public meeting.
Addressing the recent defection of former PNM Tobago West constituency chairman Keigon Denoon to the rival Tobago People’s Party (TPP), Dennis expressed diplomatic goodwill. “We in the PNM respect democracy and people’s freedom to choose,” he stated. “We thank him for his service to the party over many years as a youth who grew and developed within the party, and we wish him the best.” Denoon was formally named as the TPP’s candidate for Buccoo/Mt Pleasant by political leader Farley Augustine on December 1.
Dennis characterized the PNM’s electoral preparations as “excellent,” noting that candidate selection was finalized by late July and campaigning has been ongoing since August. “We are looking forward to a successful campaign and returning to office to bring back decent and responsible governance for the island and the people of Tobago,” he affirmed.
The upcoming election represents a potential redemption opportunity for the PNM, which was overwhelmingly ousted in the January 2021 THA elections. The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), led by Watson Duke, achieved a landslide victory by capturing 14 of 15 seats. However, the PDP’s dominance proved short-lived as internal fractures emerged eight months later. A significant rift between Duke and numerous party members triggered mass resignations, with most executives declaring themselves independents. Duke himself resigned as Deputy Chief Secretary. These former PDP members subsequently established the new Tobago People’s Party (TPP).
Despite acknowledging voter dissatisfaction with the current leadership, Dennis recognized the challenges ahead. “People are convinced that the island is worse off under these people,” he noted. “However, we realize that we have a case to make. We have to demonstrate that we are ready to do better than we did before. We have to demonstrate that we have listened, we have learned, and we have to do a lot better.”
Dennis expressed confidence in his party’s roster, describing the Tobago PNM team as a “good team” that would convince voters “that the PNM is the way to go and that they don’t have to accept a situation where the island has been mismanaged in some serious ways for the past four years.”
Regarding recent boundary adjustments by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), which included moving one polling station and renaming two districts, Dennis deemed the changes insignificant to the PNM’s campaign strategy. “It is neither here nor there for me,” he commented. “I don’t think the changes are significant enough to change the picture, per se. We are looking forward to an effective campaign, and I believe that once we do that, we can rescue Tobago after January 12.”
Meanwhile, PDP political leader Watson Duke declined to comment when contacted by Newsday, indicating he plans to hold a media conference on December 9.