‘Kamla played into PNM hands’

(Trinidad Express) The People’s Partnership administration played right into the hands of the People’s National Movement (PNM).

And this led to the demise of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election. So said political analyst Derek Ramsamooj and economist Dr Vanus James during a panel discussion on the THA election held on TV6 last night.

James said one of the issues that helped the PNM in its landslide victory was Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s decision to pilot the THA 2013 Amendment Bill in Parliament.

“I would like to point out behind all that is the fundamental issue of proper representation for Tobagonians in the nation. This bill has said nothing about it, proper representation, and the fundamental issue is do Tobagonians have a genuine voice.

Do we have equal status with Trinidad. That is what the prime minister promised, she said equal status and I have a colleague who keeps reminding me that this is the first prime minister to promise that and then did not deliver that in either the green paper or in the bill,” James said.