Prime Minister s Parliamentary statement Tobago House of Assembly
Madam Speaker, with the authority of the Cabinet, I make the following statement on the Tobago House of Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Madam Speaker, on the 17 th November, 2020, when the Chief Secretary, Ancil Dennis, announced that the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) stood dissolved, very few were anticipating what was on the horizon. What later transpired was constitutionally historical for Tobago and worked, ironically, in some sense, to spotlight the Tobagonian agenda of self-governance.
Madam Speaker, the idea of Tobago autonomy was first championed and articulated by the likes of James Biggart and A. P. T. James. This mission was accelerated by Dr Winston Murray and the indefatigable, the late Honourable ANR Robinson who by 1977 was at the forefront of the agenda. Notwithstanding, it would take a Herculean effort to feign ignorance on the many ways that this constitutional crisis has highlight
Dr Rowley: ‘The most efficient and viable solution for Tobago’; THA to get 15 districts
“In the forty year history of the Tobago House of Assembly, there has never been an even share of seats to respective political parties resulting in such a deadlocked election result in Tobago.
“Further, given that the number of electoral districts is an even one there is the real possibility of the reoccurrence of such a deadlocked result if a fresh poll is taken with the existing twelve electoral districts in the island of Tobago.
“In this regard, it has been advised that the Act be amended to increase the number of electoral districts to an odd number which will lessen the likelihood of a possible recurrence of a deadlocked result…”