POLITICAL leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Watson Duke is questioning why a stage is being built in the sea at Rockly Bay, Tobago.
He accused the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) of betraying the expectations of Tobagonians, reminding them of the Sandals resort fiasco.
On Tuesday, CEO of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Hayden Romano told Newsday infrastructural projects, including the stage in the sea, were being done without certificates of environmental clearance (CECs).
During the THA's Mandate Monday conference, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said the stage would be permanent and "environmentally safe."
"That is an attachment to the public infrastructure, road infrastructure along that way. You will be able to go and get your photos there and so on...
"It means that for future public street parties, street cultural items happening along that Milford Road, there will be a permanent fixture there."
But in a Facebook post on Tuesday night, Duke said he was beginning to question his team's ability to "properly manage Tobago's economic, social and cultural development according to the people’s mandate given on December 6, 2021."
He then gave examples of what he believes is "childish public conduct.
"The building of a permanent performance stage within the beach (in) Scarborough by THA without the necessary clearance and approvals from EMA.
"Remember PDP protested Sandals base(d) on Environmental concerns?"
In 2019, Sandals Resort opted out of a deal with the government to build a resort in Tobago.
Duke, then THA minority leader, and his team did not support the plan to build the resort there.
In his Facebook post, Duke also mentioned the Sabbath service held on Saturday at the Mason Hall SDA Church for its 75th anniversary, at which the Prime Minister and Augustine sat next to each other.
"(Augustine) tells the PM who is seated in the front row '…The PM and I who do not share political philosophy and party, now can actually share the same party…'
"Why is he sucking the PM big toe and trying to breathe in the oxygen he exhales?"
Duke also said the Tobago carnival committee was disregarding the importance of Trinidad Carnival artisans "in creating and displaying carnival costumes of any type or kind the human mind could think of and relies on Grenada for direction.
"Is it that THA is now walking backwards into the future?"
The THA recently opted to seek help from Grenada to host its carnival.
Duke added, "These childlike experiments with public funds is not condoned nor supported by the PDP executive and it’s another betrayal of Tobagonians expectations of this incompetent executive.
"My advice to the team is listen to Tobago people who put you in office and stop selling us out with your pseudo intelligence."
In a video, he again referred to the Monday Mandate, saying it was a failure and the longest such meeting he had ever seen, as it was over six hours long.
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