By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE United National Congress (UNC) maintains that it is in full support of Tobago’s self-government and called for more thorough consultation on the issue.
At the political party’s weekly virtual media conference on Sunday, UNC’s Deputy Political Leader Jearlean John, and Members of Parliament Rudranath Indarsingh and Dinesh Rambally voiced their support for the Constitution Amendment 2020 Tobago Self-Government Bill.
The Bill will be presented on Monday to the Parliament for debate where it requires a three-quarters majority of votes to be sent to the Senate for ratification by at least two-thirds of its members.
John, Indarsingh and Rambally are all members of the Joint Select Committee (JSC) appointed to Consider and Report on the bill.
Rambally said, “We fully support the people of Tobago in forging ahead, working very diligently for the status they want to achieve, and the relationship they want with the people of Trinidad.”
Rambally added that the UNC was dissatisfied with the level of consultation with the people of Tobago, and that the views of Trinidadians were equally ignored in the present Bill.
Giving a history of Tobago, said the issue has been “burning” since 1977 when it was first brought to the forefront by former President, Prime Minister and Tobago East MP Arthur NR Robinson.
Rambally said it was important to educate the national community on the different models of power sharing such as competitive, mutually agreeable and collaborative.
The conditions of dispensing autonomy for the people of Tobago, including historicity and pride were issues of sensitive negotiations between stakeholders and JSCs in the past, he added.
“We were of the view that this JSC would have rivalled or outdone the work already completed to bring crystallization to this issue of Tobago Self-Governance. We found that the consultations were patronising and a wholly deficient exercise,” said Rambally.
John who was born in Tobago said that the Opposition went into the JSC deliberations with an open mind with no preconceived notions and with the aim of providing opportunities and access for Tobago which have been long overdue.
She said the Bill was passed unanimously in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and sent to Trinidad but that the sticking point was the percentage of the national Budget which would be allocated to islands’ recurrent expenditure and development.
Indarsingh added that the Bill did not reflect the rights of the Tobagonians to self-determinations and Trinidadians had not been consulted for the Bill to reflect the will of the people.
He said, “The dream of the people of Tobago has been abused by the PNM and they are being manipulated for political reasons. It is not about equality of status.”
Rambally also referred to the “Gunning Principles” of the consultation process which he stated did not translate in the JSC’s Tobago Self-Government deliberations in that adequate time was not allotted for consideration and response to the proposals in the Bill.
And he emphasised that the product of the consultations must also be taken into account from the various stakeholders.
