The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is a unicameral devolved legislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. The THA was re-established in 1980[1] to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands; a prior body of the same name existed from 1768 to 1874.[2] In addition to the normal local government functions, the THA handles many of the responsibilities of the central government, but has limited ability to collect taxes and to impose local law or zoning regulations. At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the fifteen elected assemblymen, and four appointed councillors. Three of the councillors are appointed on the advice on the Chief Secretary and one on the advice of the Minority Leader. The Chief Secretary is the leader of the majority party in the assembly and is at the helm of the Executive arm of the THA.[3]
Tobago House of Assembly | |
|---|---|
| 12th Assembly | |
 Seal of the Tobago House of Assembly | |
 Flag of the Tobago House of Assembly | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Abby Taylor since 9 December 2021 | |
Farley Chavez Augustine, TPP since 9 December 2021 | |
Minority Leader | Kelvon Morris, PNM since 9 December 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 15 |
 | |
Political groups | Government
Opposition |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 6 December 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
| Assembly Legislative Chambers, Jermingham Street, Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Website | |
| http://www.tha.gov.tt/ | |
The current Chief Secretary of Tobago is Farley Chavez Augustine who is the second youngest Chief Secretary in history, in office since December 6, 2021. He was elected as a member of the PDP but left the party to first become an independent in 2022, then later setting up his own political party the Tobago People's Party.
History
editThe first THA elections were held on November 24, 1980. The Democratic Action Congress led by A.N.R. Robinson won eight seats and the People's National Movement (PNM) won four seats (a reversal of the 1977 County Council elections in which the PNM won seven seats and the DAC 4). The DAC went on to win the 1984 elections by a margin of 11–1 over the PNM. The National Alliance for Reconstruction (into which the DAC merged in 1986) continued to dominate the THA winning the 1988 elections, and the 1992 elections by an 11-1 margin over the PNM. It won the 1996 elections by a margin of 10–2, with the PNM and an independent candidate winning one seat each.
In the 2001 elections the PNM gained control of the THA, winning 8 seats to the NAR's four. The PNM consolidated their hold on the THA in the January 2005 elections winning 11 seats while the DAC (which reformed after splintering from the NAR in 2004) gained a single seat.
In the 2009 elections held on January 19, 2009, the PNM won 8 seats while a new party, the Tobago Organization of the People won 4 seats.[4]
In the 2013 elections, the TOP was defeated in a landslide by the PNM, losing the 4 seats it held previously, giving the PNM complete control of the THA.[5] However, Chief Secretary Orville London asked Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to introduce a bill in the country's parliament that would change the country's constitution to allow the President of the Republic to choose two independent councillors at his/her discretion to serve as opposition in the THA in the event of a 12-0 election result.[6]
As of 2021, the THA employed about 60% of Tobago's working population.[7]
In December 2022, 13 members of the PDP left the party to govern as independents in 2022, and in 2023 setting up the Tobago People's Party.[8][9]
Current Assembly Members
edit| Incumbent | Party | Electoral District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natisha Charles Pantin | TPP | Bagatelle/Bacolet | |
| Watson Duke | PDP | Roxborough/Argyle | |
| Terance Baynes | TPP | Bethel/New Grange | |
| Kelvon Morris | PNM | Darrell Spring/Whim | |
| Sonny Grieg | TPP | Buccoo/Mount Pleasant | |
| Joel Sampson | TPP | Bon Accord/ Crown Point | |
| Faith B. Yisrael | TPP | Belle Garden / Glamorgan | |
| Nigel Taitt | TPP | Signal Hill/ Patience Hill | |
| Farley Chavez Augustine | TPP | Parlatuvier/ L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside | |
| Zorisha Hackett | TPP | Bethesda/ Les Coteaux | |
| Ian Pollard | TPP | Mason Hall/Moriah | |
| Trevor James | TPP | Scarborough/ Mt Grace | |
| Megan Morrison | TPP | Mt St George/ Goodwood | |
| Wane Clarke | TPP | Lambeau/Lowlands | |
| Niall George | TPP | Plymouth/Black Rock | |
Party Divisions by Assembly
edit| Session | Election | PNM | PDP | Total seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12th | Monday, 6 December 2021 | 1 | 14 | 15 | |
| 11th | Monday, 25 January 2021 | 6 | 6 | 12 | |
| 10th | Monday, 23 January 2017 | 10 | 2 | 12 | |
| Session | Election | PNM | Total seats | ||
| 9th | Monday, 21 January 2013 | 12 | 12 | ||
| Session | Election | PNM | TOP | Total seats | |
| 8th | Monday, 19 January 2009 | 8 | 4 | 12 | |
| Session | Election | PNM | DAC | Total seats | |
| 7th | Monday, 17 January 2005 | 11 | 1 | 12 | |
| Session | Election | PNM | NAR | Total seats | |
| 6th | Monday, 29 January 2001 | 8 | 4 | 12 | |
| Session | Election | PNM | NAR | Independent | Total seats |
| 5th | Monday, 9 December 1996 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 |
| 4th | Monday, 7 December 1992 | 1 | 11 | 12 | |
| 3rd | Tuesday, 29 November 1988 | 1 | 11 | 12 | |
| Session | Election | PNM | DAC | Total seats | |
| 2nd | Monday, 26 November 1984 | 1 | 11 | 12 | |
| 1st | Monday, 24 November 1980 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Election Year |
Chairman | Summary | PNM | DAC | Independent | Total seats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1980 | A. N. R. Robinson (1926-2014) |
|
DAC wins control of the House of Assembly under A. N. R. Robinson, forming the first Tobagonian government. | 4 | 8 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chairman | Summary | PNM | DAC | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 2nd | 1984 | A. N. R. Robinson (1926-2014) |
|
DAC forms another government under A. N. R. Robinson.
The DAC merges with other political parties to form the NAR. |
1 | 11 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chairman | Summary | PNM | NAR | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 3rd | 1988 | Jefferson Davidson (c. 1938-2023) |
|
NAR forms another government under Jefferson Davidson. | 1 | 11 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chairman | Summary | PNM | NAR | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 4th | 1992 | Lennox Denoon (1930–2007) |
|
NAR forms another government under Lennox Denoon. | 1 | 11 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chairman | Summary | PNM | NAR | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 5th | 1996 | Hochoy Charles (1946–2023) |
|
NAR forms another government under Hochoy Charles. | 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | NAR | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 6th | 2001 | Orville London (1945– ) |
|
PNM forms its first government under Orville London. | 8 | 4 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | DAC | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 7th | 2005 | Orville London (1945– ) |
|
PNM forms another government under Orville London. | 11 | 1 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | TOP | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 8th | 2009 | Orville London (1945– ) |
|
PNM forms another government under Orville London. | 8 | 4 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | TOP | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 9th | 2013 | Orville London (1945– ) |
|
PNM forms another government under Orville London. | 12 | 0 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | PDP | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 10th | 2017 | Kelvin Charles (1957– ) Ancil Dennis (1987– ) |
|
PNM forms another government under Kelvin Charles. | 10 | 2 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | PDP | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 11th | 2021 (January) | Ancil Dennis (1987– ) |
|
First deadlock in the history of the assembly. PNM forms a caretaker government under Ancil Dennis. | 6 | 6 | 12 | |
| Election Year |
Chief Secretary | Summary | PNM | PDP | Independent | Total seats | ||
| 12th | 2021 (December) | Farley Chavez Augustine (1985– ) |
|
PDP forms its first government under Farley Chavez Augustine. | 1 | 14 | 15 | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Tobago Division Of Tourism – About Tobago, Governance Archived 2007-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dupont, Jerry (2001). "Trinidad and Tobago". The common law abroad: constitutional and legal legacy of the British empire. William S. Hein Publishing. pp. 295–303. ISBN 0-8377-3125-9. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ About the Assembly (THA), Tobago House of Assembly
- ^ Staff (22 January 2009). "TOP gains ground, but unhappy with illegal advertising". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Staff (21 January 2013). "CLEAN SWEEP". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
- ^ Staff (24 January 2013). "Orville wants 2 neutral voices". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ^ "Chief Secretary: Vaccine mandate a recipe for disaster". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "Mass resignation from PDP of Farley and team: Tobago now run by Independents". Trinidad Express. 5 December 2022.
- ^ "Augustine launches new Tobago party, calls for general election". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.