After proposals and counter-proposals were made for a power sharing within the Tobago House of Assembly, a meeting between the People’s National Movement (PNM) and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) on Wednesday, ended without an agreement.
Both parties met at 4pm for an hour long meeting at the Assembly Legislature in Scarborough yesterday.
But, after the meeting, PDP leader Watson Duke accused the PNM Tobago leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine of humiliating his members.
Duke claims that during the meeting, Davidson-Celestine produced a document calling on the PDP to apologise for statements made against her party during the January 25 THA election campaign.
He said “They made statements against me – abusing PDP people. We made statements against them, but she created a document of humiliation…”
Duke also revealed that his party was willing to unequivocally support any person the PNM nominated for presiding officer and chief secretary.
But he said the PNM requested that the PDP supply “resumes” for the nominees they intend to put forward for four secretarial positions in the THA.
“It was not good enough for her (Davidson-Celestine) to return the same favour to PDP. What she set out to do was further humiliate us by saying to us we must supply her with names, resumes and biographies for every candidate put forward and they will decide the best fit.”
Duke said the PDP rejected the request.
Duke said they had to leave the conversation there and hope that she has a change of heart.
However, Davidson-Celestine, when she spoke to members of the media, denied Duke’s claims.
She said “We asked for no bios. We asked for no resumes. I said we will share with you four of the secretaries and we will take five.”
Davidson-Celestine said she asked the PDP to submit the four nominees for secretaries “at an agreed time.
“So, it does not have to be today, it does not have to be next week. When we both agree that the names should come forward, then so be it.”
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