Minister: PP Govt must now adjust

Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas said yesterday it was important for the People’s Partnership Government to understand the results of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election was an important reflection of what the people were feeling.

“It is important that we take heed of what is going on and adjust our politics accordingly. It is an important reflection of what the people are feeling,” Douglas told the media after distributing cheques to calypso tents at Nicholas Towers, Port-of-Spain. He congratulated the People’s National Movement (PNM) and the people of Tobago on the results of Monday’s election, in which the PNM swept all 12 seats.

“The people have spoken about what they want and that is all good in a democracy. I am in support of any Government that works, relationships that work and politics that work,” Douglas said. He said Tobago had a fair and meaningful election process and he was in support of that.

Asked whether he felt the People’s Partnership’s defeat in Tobago was an indication of how people would vote for the next general election, he said 2015 was far away. “A day is a long time in politics. Anything can happen,” Douglas said. However, he said he expected there would be changes within the Government as the Partnership understood the results were a reasonable statement.

He added: “It is important for us to make the adjustments and changes that can speak to the needs of the people.” He distributed $2.3 million to nine calypso tents. “The tents had made requests and we gave them funds according to those requests. They did not get all that they asked for but they got more than they would have gotten before,” Douglas said.

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The tents which received funding were the National Chutney Calypso Touring Tent of T&T, D Entertainer’s Calypso Tent, D’Massive Gosein Roving Chutney Calypso Tent, Yangatang, Kalypso Revue, Divas Calypso Cabaret International, Tobago Cultural Committee and the National Action Cultural Committee.