The Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) will "fight to the ground" any government that stands in the way of Tobago's development, whether it is the PP government, a PNM government or any other administration, says TOP leader Ashworth Jack. Jack was speaking at a public meeting on Saturday at Carnbee Junction. It was one of the usual two weekend meetings the TOP has been holding to campaign for the January 21 Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election.
On who was better able to run Tobago without Trinidad interference, Jack said he did not take decisions lightly and the difference between him and PNM Tobago leader/THA chief secretary Orville London is that he understood there was a time and place for everything. He said there was a time for peace and a time for war.
"(But) Them boys want me to fight the government in order to advance their cause, but I give you the assurance tonight, I don't care which government in office in Port-of-Spain, whether PP government, PNM government or any other government, if they stand in the way of Tobago's development, this team you are assembling will fight them to the ground!" Jack said.
"And the Prime Minister knows that because we have conversations and that's why we have been able to get so much done, because the PM undertand. We came into this thing for internal self-government and nothing will detract us from it. Orville could say that? "We are moving to another level-the freedom of Tobago. It is the independence in terms of action with an island that has been subject to all kinds of punishment simply because of how you vote.
"Remember 1976 was a case in point when Tobagonians voted DAC and PNM knocked down the Ministry of Tobago Affairs. People couldn't get pay. Where was Orville? They said not a word in Tobago defence. All of a sudden after a proper licking they jump up with they mouth and all you hearing is, 'Kamla, Kamla! PP, PP!' Neglecting Tobago's development at the altar of political expediency."
Saying the TOP will ensure cost overruns will halt, Jack said almost $1 billion in cost overruns were incurred by the PNM's THA, including for the Scarborough Hospital, financial complex and cultural complex. He said while TOP was not afraid of working with central government, he was not in favour of "this foolishness" of bonded contractors where all the money went to Trinidad. He said the money should be spent in Tobago.
Jack said despite the furore over his house construction, it was built in a year by a Tobagonian. He said people were buying water from Trinidad (bottled supply), and if this was bought in Tobago it would create more jobs. Jack accused the PNM of using scare tactics and holding up the PP in Trinidad to discourage TOP support.
"Brothers and sisters, we have a responsibility to save Tobago, not becasue we want to lord over it, but to develop it," he said. "We will not do the same thing the present THA executive doing. Stealing will not be encouraged. The Auditor General must not say billions can't be accounted for and they will not be able to blame any public servants." He said that situation was an indictment on the THA leadership and the January 21 THA election was "time to put Tobago back on board."