Login
Login

Tobago House of Assembly

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox legislature

| background_color = {{party color|Tobago House of Assembly}}

| name = Tobago House of Assembly

| legislature = 12th Assembly

| house_type = Unicameral

| body =

| houses =

| logo_pic = File:Flag of Tobago.png

|logo_caption = Flag of the Tobago House of Assembly

| coa_pic = File:THAseal.png

| coa_caption = Seal of the Tobago House of Assembly

| leader1_type = Presiding Officer

| leader1 = Abby Taylor

| party1 =

| election1 = 9 December 2021

| leader2_type = Chief Secretary

| leader2 = Farley Chavez Augustine

| party2 = TPP

| election2 = 9 December 2021

| leader3_type = Minority Leader

| leader3 = Kelvon Morris

| party3 = PNM

| election3 = 9 December 2021

| members = 15

| voting_system1 = First-past-the-post

| structure1 = Tobago House of Assembly 2023.svg

| structure1_res = 250px

| political_groups1 =

Government

Opposition

| last_election1 = 6 December 2021

| next_election1 =

| session_room = {{CSS image crop

|Image = James_Park_C_IMG_2863.JPG

|bSize = 300

|cWidth = 250

|cHeight = 200

|oTop = 0

|oLeft = 50

}}

| session_res =

| session_alt =

| meeting_place = Assembly Legislative Chambers, Jermingham Street, Scarborough, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

| website = http://www.tha.gov.tt/

}}

{{Politics of Trinidad and Tobago}}

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[http://www.visittobago.gov.tt/load_page.asp?id=41 Tobago Division Of Tourism – About Tobago, Governance] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070710212503/http://www.visittobago.gov.tt/load_page.asp?id=41 |date=2007-07-10}} 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.{{cite book |last=Dupont |first=Jerry |title=The common law abroad: constitutional and legal legacy of the British empire |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCX660FA5wMC |access-date=26 July 2010 |year=2001 |publisher=William S. Hein Publishing |isbn=0-8377-3125-9 |pages=295–303 |chapter=Trinidad and Tobago |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCX660FA5wMC&pg=PA295}} 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.[http://www.tha.gov.tt/about-the-assembly/ About the Assembly (THA)], Tobago House of Assembly

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

The 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.{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2009-01-22|url=http://guardian.co.tt/news/politics/2009/01/21/top-gains-ground-unhappy-illegal-advertising|title=TOP gains ground, but unhappy with illegal advertising|publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Guardian|access-date=2009-04-10}}

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.{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2013-01-21|url=http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/CLEAN-SWEEP-187829251.html|title=CLEAN SWEEP|publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Express|access-date=2013-01-21}} 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.{{cite web|author=Staff|date=2013-01-24|url=http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Orville_wants_2_neutral_voices-188301951.html|title=Orville wants 2 neutral voices|publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Express|access-date=2013-01-24}}

As of 2021, the THA employed about 60% of Tobago's working population.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-22|title=Chief Secretary: Vaccine mandate a recipe for disaster|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2021/12/22/chief-secretary-vaccine-mandate-a-recipe-for-disaster/|access-date=2021-12-23|website=Trinidad and Tobago Newsday|language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web|date=2022-12-05|title=Mass resignation from PDP of Farley and team: Tobago now run by Independents|url=https://trinidadexpress.com/newsextra/mass-resignation-from-pdp-of-farley-and-team-tobago-now-run-by-independents/article_e2db97c4-74a9-11ed-b8b5-4ffef76f1633.html|website=Trinidad Express|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|date=14 August 2023|title=Augustine launches new Tobago party, calls for general election|work=Trinidad and Tobago Guardian|url=https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/augustine-launches-new-tobago-party-calls-for-general-election-6.2.1775779.eebf2fa69e|access-date=20 August 2023}}

Current Assembly Members

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible";"

! colspan="2" |Incumbent

!Party

!Electoral District

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Natisha Charles Pantin

|TPP

|Bagatelle/Bacolet

style="background:{{party colour|Progressive Democratic Patriots}} " | 

|Watson Duke

|PDP

|Roxborough/Argyle

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Terance Baynes

|TPP

|Bethel/New Grange

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} " | 

|Kelvon Morris

|PNM

|Darrell Spring/Whim

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Sonny Grieg

|TPP

|Buccoo/Mount Pleasant

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Joel Sampson

|TPP

|Bon Accord/ Crown Point

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Faith B. Yisrael

|TPP

|Belle Garden / Glamorgan

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Nigel Taitt

|TPP

|Signal Hill/ Patience Hill

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Farley Chavez Augustine

|TPP

|Parlatuvier/ L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Zorisha Hackett

|TPP

|Bethesda/ Les Coteaux

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Ian Pollard

|TPP

| Mason Hall/Moriah

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Trevor James

|TPP

|Scarborough/ Mt Grace

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

|Megan Morrison

|TPP

| Mt St George/ Goodwood

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

| Wane Clarke

|TPP

|Lambeau/Lowlands

style="background:{{party colour|Tobago People's Party}} " | 

| Niall George

|TPP

| Plymouth/Black Rock

Party Divisions by Assembly

class="wikitable"

!Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|Progressive Democratic Patriots}};" |Progressive Democratic Patriots}}

|

!Total seats

12th

|Monday, 6 December 2021

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |1

| {{Party shading/Progressive Democratic Patriots}} |14

|

|15

11th

|Monday, 25 January 2021

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |6

| {{Party shading/Progressive Democratic Patriots}} |6

|

|12

10th

|Monday, 23 January 2017

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |10

| {{Party shading/Progressive Democratic Patriots}} |2

|

|12

Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

|

|

!Total seats

9th

|Monday, 21 January 2013

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |12

|

|

|12

Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Organisation of the People}};" |Tobago Organisation of the People

|

!Total seats

8th

|Monday, 19 January 2009

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |8

| {{Party shading/Tobago Organisation of the People}} |4

|

|12

Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Action Congress}};" |Democratic Action Congress 

|

!Total seats

7th

|Monday, 17 January 2005

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |11

| {{Party shading/Democratic Action Congress}} |1

|

|12

Session

!Election

| style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction 

|

!Total seats

6th

|Monday, 29 January 2001

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |8

| {{Party shading/National Alliance for Reconstruction}} |4

|

|12

Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction 

!Independent

!Total seats

5th

|Monday, 9 December 1996

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |1

| {{Party shading/National Alliance for Reconstruction}} |10

|1

|12

4th

|Monday, 7 December 1992

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |1

| {{Party shading/National Alliance for Reconstruction}} |11

|

|12

3rd

|Tuesday, 29 November 1988

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |1

| {{Party shading/National Alliance for Reconstruction}} |11

|

|12

Session

!Election

! style="background:{{party color|Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

! style="background:{{party color|Democratic Action Congress}};" |Democratic Action Congress 

|

!Total seats

2nd

|Monday, 26 November 1984

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |1

| {{Party shading/Democratic Action Congress}} |11

|

|12

1st

|Monday, 24 November 1980

| {{Party shading/Tobago Council of the People's National Movement}} |4

| {{Party shading/Democratic Action Congress}} |8

|

|12

class="toccolours" id="summary-results-house-representatives" style="margin:0 auto; clear:both;" border="0"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chairman

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Democratic Action Congress}};" |Democratic Action Congress

!Independent

!Total
seats

1st

!1980

|A. N. R. Robinson
{{small|(1926-2014)}}

|File:A. N. R. Robinson (cropped).jpg

|DAC wins control of the House of Assembly under A. N. R. Robinson, forming the first Tobagonian government.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |4

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="e788ff" |8

| style="text-align:center;" | 

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#eee;"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chairman

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Democratic Action Congress}};" |Democratic Action Congress

!Independent

!Total
seats

2nd

!1984

|A. N. R. Robinson
{{small|(1926-2014)}}

|File:A. N. R. Robinson (cropped).jpg

|DAC forms another government under A. N. R. Robinson.

The DAC merges with other political parties to form the NAR.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |1

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="e788ff" |11

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chairman

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction

!Independent

!Total
seats

3rd

!1988

|Jefferson Davidson
{{small|(c. 1938-2023)}}

|120x120px

|NAR forms another government under Jefferson Davidson.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |1

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|11

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#eee;"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chairman

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction

!Independent

!Total
seats

4th

!1992

|Lennox Denoon
{{small|(1930–2007)}}

|120x120px

|NAR forms another government under Lennox Denoon.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |1

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|11

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chairman

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction

!Independent

!Total
seats

5th

!1996

|Hochoy Charles
{{small|(1946–2023)}}

|120x120px

|NAR forms another government under Hochoy Charles.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |1

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|10

| style="text-align:center;" |1

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#eee;"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|National Alliance for Reconstruction}};" |National Alliance for Reconstruction

!Independent

!Total
seats

6th

!2001

|Orville London
{{small|(1945– )}}

|98x98px

|PNM forms its first government under Orville London.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |8

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFCCCC"|4

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Democratic Action Congress}};" |Democratic Action Congress

!Independent

!Total
seats

7th

!2005

|Orville London
{{small|(1945– )}}

|98x98px

|PNM forms another government under Orville London.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |11

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="e788ff" |1

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#eee;"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Tobago Organisation of the People}};" |Tobago Organisation of the People

!Independent

!Total
seats

8th

!2009

|Orville London
{{small|(1945– )}}

|98x98px

|PNM forms another government under Orville London.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |8

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffff99" |4

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Tobago Organisation of the People}};" |Tobago Organisation of the People

!Independent

!Total
seats

9th

!2013

|Orville London
{{small|(1945– )}}

|98x98px

|PNM forms another government under Orville London.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |12

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="ffff99"| 0

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#eee;"
style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Progressive Democratic Patriots}};" |{{abbr|{{black|PDP}}|Progressive Democratic Patriots}}

!Independent

!Total
seats

10th

!2017

|Kelvin Charles
{{small|(1957– )}}
Ancil Dennis
{{small|(1987– )}}

|98x98px

98x98px

| PNM forms another government under Kelvin Charles.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF" |10

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="90ee90" |2

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Progressive Democratic Patriots}};" |{{abbr|{{black|PDP}}|Progressive Democratic Patriots}}

!Independent

!Total
seats

11th

!2021 (January)

|Ancil Dennis
{{small|(1987– )}}

|98x98px

|First deadlock in the history of the assembly. PNM forms a caretaker government under Ancil Dennis.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF"|6

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="90ee90"|6

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |12

style="background:#ccf;"

! colspan="2" |Election
Year

! colspan="2" |Chief Secretary

!Summary

!style="background:{{party color|People's National Movement}};" |Tobago Council of the People's National Movement

!style="background:{{party color|Progressive Democratic Patriots}};" |{{abbr|{{black|PDP}}|Progressive Democratic Patriots}}

!Independent

!Total
seats

12th

!2021 (December)

|Farley Chavez Augustine
{{small|(1985– )}}

|98x98px

|PDP forms its first government under Farley Chavez Augustine.

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="FFAFAF"|1

| style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="90ee90"|14

| style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" |15

{{Clear}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://www.tha.gov.tt/ }}

{{Local Government in Trinidad and Tobago}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Government of Trinidad and Tobago

Category:Tobago

Category:Legislatures of country subdivisions

Tobago