Persad-Bissessar announced on Saturday that she will have a fully operational office in the island, a move that has angered Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary, Orville London.
However the Prime Minister has made it clear that she has a job to do and locating an office in Tobago is an extension of her national duties and does not in any way breach any laws or infringe on the rights of the THA.
In fact, she sees it as keeping a government promise to be more inclusive in her dealings with Tobago.
Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday also had a Tobago office, which operated from the same Jerningham Street building, which currently houses offices of the Central Administrative Services of Tobago (CAST) as well as offices of the Tobago Development Ministry.
The opposition is angry with the strong central government presence in the island. London has complained about various initiatives that have been introduced for the benefit of Tobago, including a CEPEP office that the PM opened last week.
Tobago suffered neglect under the previous administration. During the election campaign Persad-Bissessar pledged to reverse that and to stop treating Tobago as a stepchild.
Tobago voters rejected the PNM in in 2010 general election, electing two members of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP). Both MPs are in government as members of the People's Partnership.
Tobago first rejected the PNM in the 1976 general election when incumbents Basil Pitt and Wilbert Winchester lost their seats to ANR Robinson and Winston Murray. Then Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams reacted by shutting down the Tobago ministry.
The party won back the seats in the 2002 general election only to lose them again last year.
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