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OPPOSITION Senator Jearlean John was cautioned by Senate President Christine Kangaloo after she politically resurrected the ghost of the controversial “Calcutta ship” during debate on the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Amendment Bill 2021 on Tuesday.
After declaring the will of Tobagonians in the THA election was “six and six,” John recalled that fliers alleging a political alliance between the UNC and PDP were circulated during the campaign. Both parties denied those allegations.
“To me that was a dog whistling. I don’t know why...we don’t have (covid19) vaccines today in TT. They must be feel that the Calcutta ship has to bring it.”
Kangaloo rose from her chair. “Senator John. Now you are steering off of the matter at hand. So I will just ask you to just confine your comments to the matter at hand, please.” John heeded Kangaloo’s instructions. “Yes Madam President. That was a comment coming out of Tobago but I’m guided.”
The “Calcutta ship” comment, made by former THA member Hilton Sandy during the January 2013 THA election, was considered racist towards then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s UNC-led People’s Partnership coalition. The Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), a member of the PP coalition, lost that election to the PNM, 12-nil.
John questioned why the Prime Minister was meeting with PDP assemblymen on Wednesday and if the PNM had considered passage of the bill in the Senate on Tuesday, as “a done deal.”
John, a Tobagonian, told senators that someone sent her a copy of a letter sent to PDP deputy political leader Dr Faith BYisrael inviting her to a 9.30 am meeting with Dr Rowley at the Magdalena Grand Hotel on Wednesday.
While she agreed with Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi’s statement that “no six is bigger than the other six,” John asked why was Rowley now going to consult with the PDP. “How is that fair?” She also questioned how did Government decide upon 15 as the new number of electoral districts that Tobago should have. As she wondered whether the PNM was seeking a political advantage in Tobago or trying to solve a problem after seeing the answer, John quipped, “This really is crapaud jig jig.” She asked whether this was a case of “let’s use the law to break the law.”
She maintained the UNC’s position that the drawing of lots was the only solution to electing a presiding officer for the THA and breaking the deadlock.
She claimed instructions to the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) regarding creation of new electoral boundaries in Tobago was “political business” and the PNM is compromising the EBC’s integrity. “This is illegal. We must not pass these amendments,” she urged senators.
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