Tobago shows off its love for PM Kamla

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar took a break from the posh environment of the Coco Coco reef resort where she and her cabinet are holding a 4-day retreat and walked among the people in Tobago Friday.

The "people's prime minister" spent some time in the capital, Scarborough, mingling with the crowds, shaking hands and kissing babies.

Scores of people lined up to get a glimpse or to shake hands with Trinidad and Tobago's first female prime minister, who said later that she was "thrilled" by the Tobago love and "wonderful hospitality" that she experienced.

Market vendors, shoppers, children, street limers, taxi drivers and youths warmly greeted her during her first public walkabout in the island since she led her People's Partnership to a landslide win the May 24 general election.

Mothers urged their kids to be brave an shake hands with the Persad-Bissessar as others in the crowd drew a comparison between her and her predecessor, Patrick Manning.

They said Manning never walked among them. One woman summarised the mood of the Tobago crowds: "Stay close to the ground, eh. We doh want to lose you," the Trinidad Guardian reported.

Earlier in the day Persad-Bissessar assured reporters that she has no intention of usurping the powers and functions of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

Commenting on her talks with THA Chief Secretary Orville London, she said she gave him the assurance that "we will act according to law, so there will be no fracturing of the constitutional arrangements as they are and therefore the functions that are by law those vested in the THA, we will honour that law and will abide by the rule of law as always.”

She told the Newsday newspaper, "We have no intention of usurping the legal functions of the THA, none whatsoever!

However she added, "At the same time we are the Government and we would do all we can for the benefit of the people of Tobago, but where the law has given a role, or a function to the THA, I have no intention of taking those away.”

She said the people of Tobago will decide for themselves if they want the Central Government to be in charge of their affairs. She noted if that is the case then there would have to be constitutional changes. However she added that is not the case at the present time.