Jack returned as leader of TOP in party election

File: Ashworth Jack

The Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) has re-elected Ashworth Jack as the leader of the party in executive elections held on Sunday.

The party also chose a new chairman to replace Stanley Baird. The new chairman is Lionel Coker. Terrence Baynes is Deputy Chairman.
In accepting a renwal of his leadership Jack urged the people of Tobago to put aside their fears of victimisation and take charge of their destiny. He said all Tobagonians should make wise choices in order to "save" the island.

He said they would have an opportunity to make those choices in the Tobago House of Assembly elections in January 2013.

"How can you be afraid when you look for a job and someone asks you which political organisation you belong to? How can you be afraid when it's Government money that is supposed to hire you and they behave as though the money is coming from their pockets? How can we be afraid when every four years all of us come and ask you to revalidate our contract?" Jack asked.

The TOP leader accused the PNM of being in a mad rush to complete projects by spending all the money from the unspent balances. He claimed that cost overruns on four major projects amounted to nearly $1 billion.

"The Library that was estimated to cost $19 million will now cost $100 million. Five times the original cost." 

Jack said a Financial Complex that should have cost $20 million has already cost $106 million and it's still not ready. He also mentioned the new Scarborough hospital, which was originally budgeted at $135 million and finished at $700 million.

Minister of Tobago Development Vernella Alleyne-Toppin encouraged supporters to increase the TOP's membership, and renew their commitment to Tobago. 

She also said those who have been in charge of governing the island squandered millions of dollars given to Tobago by the Central Government over the years.

"We have seen that of the $20 billion that has come to Tobago over the last 10 years, maybe $10 billion was stolen. If you read carefully the 2004 Report and the 2005 Report and 2003 Report of the Auditor General, you will see $88 million missing here, $39 million missing here, $40 million missing there," she said.