PNM again links PDP to UNC

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The People’s National Movement is again warning Tobagonians that the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) represents the United National Congress (UNC) in Tobago.

PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley first claimed a relationship between the UNC and PDP in July 2020 in the lead-up to the August 10, 2020, General Election.

At a meeting then in Tobago, Rowley told supporters: “Watson Duke (PDP leader) was a proxy for the UNC.”

Since campaigning for the January 25 Tobago House of Assembly elections began in earnest on January 4, the Tobago Council of the PNM has also made similar claims.

On Thursday, the UNC issued a news release asking the PNM not to drag the UNC into the campaign.

“The UNC condemns Tracy Davidson-Celestine’s bringing our party on her campaign platform to try to sully our name.”

It added: “Davidson-Celestine needs to explain the open and naked corruption in Tobago under her watch and address the fact that the PNM-controlled THA has received billions in funding and provided no accountability for squandering it. This includes spending $2.5 million for a rope masquerading as a tourism project and her personal expenditure.”

The issue of the rope and the $2.5 million expenditure on the tourism project was raised by the PDP on its platform over the weekend of January 10.

In the release, the UNC went on to claim: “The Trinidad-based PNM has destroyed Tobago’s economy, culture and even identity. They are the real sell-out of Tobago.

“The UNC has a far prouder record for Tobago than the PNM does. The PNM has always fought against the autonomy of Tobago. The UNC, on the other hand, has always supported Tobago’s autonomy.”

But Davidson-Celestine took the UNC to task during a campaign meeting later Thursday, again questioning the relationship between the UNC and PDP.

“So I really have to ask the question again tonight, what is that relationship, what is the agreement, what is the relationship between the UNC and the PDP? Why is it that the UNC believes that at this point in time they should come in to defend and to give support to the PDP in this Tobago House of Assembly elections?” Davidson-Celestine asked supporters.

“They (UNC) too see the desperation. They too see the writing on the wall and they believe that at this point in time, that their weaklings need reinforcement and to reinforce it is to send out a press release to hit Tracy and the People’s National Movement.”