The People’s National Movement in Tobago is inviting the Patriotic Democratic Party to come to the negotiation table, so both sides can decide on a power sharing model in order to fully convene the Tobago House of Assembly.

It comes after the initial offer for a power sharing arrangement was made the PDP’s Farley Augustine, following a meeting between the two parties and Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on March 3rd. 

Once an agreement is struck, it will be in place for at least six months, at which time it’s hoped the Tobago Autonomy Bill will be sorted.

When he made the initial plea, Mr. Augustine said: We are willing to give to the other side, the PNM, the positions of Presiding Officer and Chief Secretary. But we must get Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Finance, along with two of the three councillors allocated to the Executive and we will split the remaining Secretarial positions down the middle.”

But in a statement this morning, Political Leader of the PNM Tobago Council, Tracy Davidson-Celestine, said there were concerns with the specific arrangement requested by the PDP that would need to be addressed. 

“For example the (THA) Act does not allow for equal sharing of councillors in the manner prescribed by the PDP and the PDP draft MOU does not clearly indicate whether there is an intent on the part of the PDP to have a Minority Leader,” Davidson-Celestine said. 

“We are hoping that we can work through these differences and hammer out a working arrangement,” she added.