PDP/PNM Negotiations Continue

The Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) wants to roll back the clock on their negotiations with the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM). Meanwhile, the PNM's Tobago Council wants to continue their negotiations. The results of the January 25th Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election left both parties with six seats each. After agreeing to some form of power-sharing to convene the Assembly talks between the two parties broke down last week after both sides could not come to an agreement on several issues. The PDP's political leader, Watson Duke now wants the negotiation slate wiped clean. He added that his party was not in agreement for the number of seats to be increased from 12 to 15. Meanwhile, Political leader of the Tobago Council Tracy Davidson Celestine expressed concern at the PDP's proposal to claim two of three Councillors in the Assembly and cautioned that this arrangement will give the PDP the majority and the option to move a vote of no confidence and remove the Chief Secretary or the Presiding Officer, at their convenience. Mrs Davidson-Celestine has proposed that the twelve Assemblymen should return to the negotiating table at a date and time to be determined, after discussions between the two political leaders.