PDP political leader Watson Duke may be prepared to extend forgiveness to Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, but this forgiveness is not extended to anyone else. Over the past year, Augustine and Duke have engaged in numerous public disagreements, leading to strained relations. Augustine later separated from the PDP, along with other members of the executive council. They subsequently established the Tobago People’s Party (TPP) with the support of a few hundred followers.
Duke perceived these actions as a betrayal. Although he is not inclined to unite with the TPP, he is open to the idea of the Chief Secretary inviting individuals to participate in a reconciliation meeting. Duke does not acknowledge the TPP as a legitimate political party since they have not yet contested an election. Additionally, he believes that they did not fulfil the mandate of the PDP, the political entity under which they were originally elected.
Duke explained that his motivation for reaching out to Augustine was to ensure that the people of Tobago received the representation they had voted for. He credited his leadership for the 14-1 success at the last THA elections. Duke said he is not seeking to be Deputy Chief Secretary or a regular Secretary, but he wants to work on fulfilling mandates.
