Expectations for an amicable solution flat-lined yesterday when Watson Duke resigned from the Tobago House of Assembly executive.
The decision came following days of tension between Duke and Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, over an incident in which 27 Tobagonian performers sought THA assistance after they claimed to have been stranded in New York.
Addressing the issue yesterday, political analyst Dr Winford James said he was optimistic the men would have settled the matter and move forward.
“I thought that there was hope that both gentlemen could be brought together and be made to focus on the structure that should be put in place to override personality difference between both men,” he said.
He maintained that had the raging feud receded, the affairs of Tobago would have been a matter of priority.
“That dream of developing a special plan to advancing Tobago’s development has crashed and from that point of view, it’s a very sad day.”
According to Dr James, the impasse between Duke and Augustine has now damaged the public’s confidence in the party and that, moving forward, will be a challenge.
“A rebuilding will have to be done and it is very difficult to keep the support of people who voted you into power with such a big margin, they must be very disappointed in what is going on, some may be at a lost to understand, others may be scared to understand what has developed,” James said.
He described the ripple effect of Duke’s resignation as devastating.
“This is something that has happened at the heart of the PDP, its devastation we are talking about.”
The public spat between Duke and Augustine comes nine months after the PDP defeated the PNM 14-1 in the THA elections.
