Hochoy: THA elections most crucial ever

Tobago political party, The Platform of Truth (TPT) led by Hochoy Charles, has announced its 12 candidates for  the January 21 Tobago House of Assembly elections. The TPT representatives were selected following a  screening process in December.

In an interview with the T&T Guardian, Charles said his party was not in a hurry to select candidates because the elections were not about personalities but about Tobago’s self-governance. “We were not hurry about naming candidates. We were carrying out an educational programme throughout Tobago to tell Tobagonians that this election is the most crucial elections in their history.

“The election is about Tobago getting its power from Trinidad who exercise it over us so that we could be able to develop Tobago the way we see fit and not leave it in the hands of parties in Trinidad,” Charles said. The former chief secretary said his party was the only true Tobago party in the  upcoming polls and described the People’s National Movement and the Tobago Organisation of the People, the other parties in the race, as “agents of Tobago’s colonisation.”

“The other two parties that are involved in the race in Tobago are not representing Tobago. These candidates of the PNM and the TOP are agents of Tobago’s colonisation, Tobago’s control from Port-of-Spain and Tobago underdevelopment from Trinidad, that is what the election is all about” he said.

Charles also questioned the People’s Partnership government’s decision to introduce a bill for Tobago self-governance during the election campaign describing it as “insulting.” He said the campaign schedule for the TPT meetings will be announced next week.

The TPT candidates are:

Bacolet/Mt. St. George —   Juliana Henry-King
Goodwood/Belle Garden West— Petrina Shangie
Bethel/Mt. Irvine— Haynes Cowie-Clarke
Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden— Curtis Douglas
Buccoo/Mt. Pleasant— Ricardo Phillip
Cannan/Bon Accord—Barry Nelson
Lambeau/Signal Hill—David Fraser
Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/ Speyside—Samuel Mapp
Plymouth/Golden Lane—Hochoy Charles
Providence/Mason Hall/Moriah—Ernest Belfon
Belle Garden East/Roxborough/Delaford—Senya  Martin
Scarborough/Calder Hall—Andre Phillips