TTP nominees vow to tackle crime, unemployment

TPP leader Farley Augustine who heads the party's THA elections screening committee. - File photo courtesy TPP

Tobago People’s Party (TPP) nominees, accompanied by their respective groups of cheering supporters, made their way to the Shaw Park Cultural Complex on November 16, for day two of the party’s screening exercise, for the upcoming Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.

The committee, headed by TPP political leader Farley Augustine, began screening of nominees for three of the 15 electoral districts on November 13.

On that day, nominees were screened for the Buccoo/Mt Pleasant seat and another three for the Plymouth/Black Rock electoral district.

Of the ten vying to contest the Bethel/New Grange electoral district, only two, including incumbent Terance Baynes, Assistant Secretary, Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development, were screened.

The remaining candidates for the seat were screened on November 16. They were Tynielle Jack, Cloyd Williams, Curtis Des Vignes, Darren Henry, Akilon Nedd, Alloy Westfield, Alicia Roberts-Patterson and Sherwin Baynes-Wellington.

Before these ten were screened, nominees for the Mason Hall/Moriah seat were the first to face the committee. The area has four contenders: incumbent Ian “Whitey” Pollard, Secretary of Housing, Settlements and Rural Development; Allan Stewart, Tobago Emergency Management Agency director; retired special branch police officer Bevon Dennis; and La Toya Horsford, who resigned from the PNM Tobago Council’s executive several months ago.

Stewart, a first timer in the election race, told reporters the process was exciting.

“I really appreciate the questions being asked, straight down my alley,” said Stewart, who was accompanied by his wife, Sonia and son Zidane. He felt he did well.

“I think I am successful. I did it with a bit of confidence because I know how important representation ought to be and, therefore that was some of the strong questions that I got.

“They asked how I would transition from one to the other and I made that point very strongly because I think, in my march towards the future, it is important that our young people are not taken advantage of and our young people are effectively represented in a particular way that they can grow.”

Dennis said his screening process was not lengthy but in depth.

“They questioned about party loyalty, about your readiness and what, as a candidate, will I be bringing to my district and how will I be able to get the support of the community in supporting our party, the TPP, we move forward towards this THA election,” he said.

Dennis said he intends to focus on safety and security and employment opportunities for young people, particularly men.

Pollard told reporters he should be re-selected to “continue the good works that I have started.”

He said on a scale of one to ten, he would give his stewardship an 8.5.

“I always say, lack of financing and the evilness of the PNM over the last three years, caused us to be in the situation we are in,” he said. Pollard said he was confident about his chances of retaining the seat.

“Politics doesn’t shape my life. I am in this for these people around here, to uplift their lives.”