Nomination Day kicks off THA race as 42 candidates enter the fray

Stories by Akash Samaroo

Lead Editor – Politics

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From the hills of Glamorgan to the streets of Scarborough, Nomination Day for the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections brought a buzz across the island, as 42 candidates officially offered themselves for public service and a chance to secure a seat in the island’s legislature.

Following the closure of returning officers’ offices at 3 pm across Tobago’s four locations, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) confirmed that the two main parties, the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) and the People’s National Movement (PNM), each filed 15 candidates. Meanwhile, the Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) submitted 11 candidates, and Nickocy Phillips was the sole nominee for the Unity of the People party.

This meant that Ricardo Phillip of the Class Action Reform Movement (CARM) and Anthony James of the Tobago Liberation Movement (TLM) did not contest the January 12 elections.

Speaking with Guardian Media, Chief Elections Officer Fern Narcis said there were no irregularities and that “everything went smoothly.”

The day unfolded with the familiar fanfare and pageantry, as both the TPP and the PNM mobilised hundreds of supporters clad in party colours, waving flags and banners bearing the faces and names of their preferred candidates. Music trucks roamed throughout the day, blasting popular hits reworked with party slogans and candidate endorsements.

There were no reports of violence. Ahead of the democratic exercise, both the PNM and TPP urged their supporters to maintain peace. Police officers briefly intervened at the Buccoo Multi-Purpose Facility, where supporters from both parties — dressed in red and blue — crossed paths while chanting, dancing, and playing music. Officers occasionally urged restraint as tensions threatened to rise, but they later downplayed the encounter.

Earlier in the day, Chief Secretary and TPP political leader Farley Augustine filed his nomination at the Glamorgan Multi-Purpose Facility to defend his Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside seat. He was accompanied by deputy TPP leader Dr Faith Brebnor (Belle Garden/Glamorgan) and fellow TPP candidate Orlando Kerr (Roxborough/Argyle).

After about 30 minutes, the Chief Secretary emerged joking that he had delayed the process because he had not participated in the pre-nomination exercise a week earlier. He said he was pleased with the process.

Reflecting on his last four years in office, Augustine recalled a term filled with challenges. “Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong to test us,” he said. “But our ability to remain stable and continue governing shows the mettle of the leadership in Tobago and the party.”

He recapped some of the hurdles: “Within the first year we had a split from the Progressive Democratic Patriots, then the audio-gate issue with the police, shark attacks, an oil spill, and some minimal damage from Hurricane Beryl. And now, despite all that, we continue to have a stable, focused government that provides meaningfully for the people of Tobago. This shows why we are and continue to be the best option for the people of Tobago.”

Meanwhile, IDA candidate Linda Daniel filed her nomination for the same seat Augustine is defending. She told Guardian Media: “We are resetting the game, bringing new ideas, and doing things differently.”

PNM candidate Shonae John also formally filed her papers for the Roxborough/Argyle district. “The people on the ground need proper representation. They need someone fresh to listen and be of service to them. It’s something we’ve been calling for for years, and I’m ready to give them just that,” she said.

At the Buccoo Multi-Purpose Facility, TPP candidate and former PNM member Keigon Denoon filed for the marginal Buccoo/Mt Pleasant seat, where he will challenge his former political leader Ancil Dennis. Denoon expressed confidence in his candidacy: “The people see hope in me. They understand what the former gives and know this is the dawn of a new era. The blue wave is here, and on January 12, Tobagonians will make the right choice.”

Also at Buccoo, IDA candidates Cecil Noel (Bethesda/Les Coteaux) and Stacy Herbert (Buccoo/Mt Pleasant) filed their nominations. Noel said, “I’m ready to do the work of the people and committed to changing my space.” Herbert added that the IDA is bringing “good sense” to Tobago’s political landscape, boosted by its leader Dr Denise Tsoifatt-Angus, whom she described as “the most experienced active politician in Tobago.”

Official Candidates

TPP

Faith Brebnor – Belle Garden/Glamorgan

Darren Henry – Bethel/New Grange

Zorisha Hackett – Bethesda/Les Coteaux

Niketa Percy – Bon Accord/Crown Point

Keigon Denoon – Buccoo/Mt Pleasant

Ricky Joefield – Darrel Spring/Whim

Wane Clarke – Lambeau/Lowlands

Ian Pollard – Mason Hall North/Moriah

Nathisha Charles-Pantin – Mason Hall South/Bagatelle

Megan Morrison – Mt St George/Goodwood

Farley Augustine – Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside

Kern Alexis – Plymouth/Black Rock

Orlando Kerr – Roxborough/Argyle

Trevor James – Scarborough/Mt Grace

Nigel Taitt – Signal Hill/Patience Hill

PNM

Carl McEwen – Belle Garden/Glamorgan

Timothy Sterlan – Bethel/New Grange

Akeel Guy – Bethesda/Les Coteaux

Dominique Kerr – Bon Accord/Crown Point

Ancil K. Dennis – Buccoo/Mt Pleasant

Kelvon Morris – Darrel Spring/Whim

Kervin Horsford – Lambeau/Lowlands

Kwesi DesVignes – Mason Hall North/Moriah

Dexter Miller – Mason Hall South/Bagatelle

Camisha D. Bacchus – Mt St George/Goodwood

Maxslon N. Roberts – Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside

Karyn Forbes – Plymouth/Black Rock

Shonae John – Roxborough/Argyle

Petal Benoit – Scarborough/Mt Grace

Brian Harris – Signal Hill/Patience Hill

IDA

Jahlaun Carter – Belle Garden/Glamorgan

Terrence David – Bethel/New Grange

Cecil Noel – Bethesda/Les Coteaux

Philbert Williams – Bon Accord/Crown Point

Stacy Herbert – Buccoo/Mt Pleasant

Elon Berkely – Darrel Spring/Whim

Shelly-Ann Lewis – Mason Hall North/Moriah

Ben Yisrael – Mason Hall South/Bagatelle

Linda Daniel – Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside

Denise Tsoiafatt-Angus – Scarborough/Mt Grace

Mauricia Douglas – Signal Hill/Patience Hill

Unity of the People

Nickocy Phillips – Buccoo/Mt Pleasant