Government and Opposition clash over greater autonomy for Tobago

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar Wednesday dismissed suggestions that her coalition People’s Partnership government was introducing legislation to grant greater autonomy to Tobago ahead of the January 21 election for control of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). But Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley described the proposed amendment to the Trinidad and Tobago Constitution as a “fish with feathers” and reiterated that the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) would not support the initiative that needs a special majority in the Parliament to get the green light. Prime Minister Persad Bissessar told legislators that the legislation is in keeping with the policies outlined by her coalition government when it campaigned for the May 24, 2010 general election and was not intended to influence voters in the sister isle to support the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) a, coalition partner that is seeking to topple the PNM after 12 years in charge of the 12-member THA.