Equality of status means cession?

Why was the phrase “equality of status” excluded from the two Tobago self-governance bills currently before Parliament? According to Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, legal advice indicated that including it could suggest a move toward cession rather than a commitment to remaining part of the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. She made these remarks during an autonomy discussion hosted by the Tobago Council of the PNM in Belle Garden.