In theory, the idea of a power-sharing arrangement between the PNM and the PDP in the Tobago House of Assembly sounds good.
After all, it is the first time in the 40 days since the THA elections ended in a six-six tie that a solid proposal has been put forward to break the political deadlock on the island.
Although the idea has been welcomed by the Tobago Division of the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce and some other stakeholders on the island, there are doubts about the viability of the proposition.
Can the well-documented political rivalry between these two parties be set aside in the interest of Tobago? How will such an arrangement work, particularly with Watson Duke in his dual roles of PDP leader and Public Services Association (PSA) president in the mix?
Under the proposed arrangement, the PNM will get the chief secretary, presiding officer, deputy chief secretary and one of the three councillors allocated to the executive. The PDP wants the deputy presiding officer, finance secretary and two councillor positions, with the remaining secretarial positions to be equally divided between the parties.
However, the success of a power-sharing arrangement will require some drastic adjustments by political players who, just a few weeks ago, were not even able to agree on a presiding officer.
There has been a lot of posturing but no progress until Thursday’s meeting of the 12 elected assemblymen convened by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
PNM officials were mostly non-committal after those talks but traditionally the party’s position has always been to go it alone. Yesterday’s comment by the PNM Tobago Council leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine about Tobagonians not being keen on the idea of Duke as Secretary of Finance certainly did not help. Such a comment from the leading candidate for the position of chief secretary does not augur well, even for what is intended to be a short-term arrangement.
Power-sharing will be in place only until fresh THA elections are called, triggered by the completion of a Joint Select Committee’s work on the Constitution (Amendment) Tobago Self-Government) Bill, 2018. However, the PNM has in the past spurned such arrangements at the national level.
Still, the PDP’s apparent willingness to compromise should not be overlooked. PDP deputy leader Farley Augustine says the arrangement puts them in a vulnerable position, as a PNM chief secretary “can turn around and fire all the PDP secretaries.”
The party also put forward the possibility of power-sharing in the run-up to last year’s General Elections, when Mr Duke said the PDP would stack its chips alongside any interested party willing to put Tobago’s interests first.
But all that might be null and void if, as has been stated by attorney Martin George, shared control of the THA is illegal. Mr George further warned of the prospect of the parties operating with a metaphoric “hidden sword” waiting for an opportunity show up the other side.
As of now, Tobago’s fortunes are hanging in the balance and political maturity is required from its elected representatives to end the impasse.