The Honesty, Opportunity, Performance, and Empowerment party, or HOPE, is the newest political entity in the country. Acclaimed attorney Timothy Hamel-Smith leads HOPE, and its executive includes notable figures such as Louis Lee-Singh, Karen Nunez Tesheira, and Deosaran Jagroo. Nunez-Tesheira, one of two Deputy Political Leaders, described the party as one aiming to approach governance differently. “HOPE doesn’t only talk about all the nice things that we going to do. Everybody says that. And that is why you get the cynicism and disaffection but HOPE has laid out a 180 day plan of things that it will do within that period of time.”
One of the reasons Nunez-Tesheira joined is her disapproval of the current and previous operations of cabinets in governance. She echoed a sentiment from their political leader, Hamel-Smith, that there needs to be a change. The Deputy Political Leader of HOPE also indicated that as the party grows, it aims to ensure Tobago is included in national conversations. She believes that for economic diversification, Tobago’s empowerment is crucial.
“Tobago has a lot, a lot of capacity because one of the things it will give you in foreign exchange, it is tourism and I don’t think that the central government has given the THA the kind of meaningful support to develop a really meaningful tourism sector.” Nunez-Tesheira also desires the conversation about Tobago’s contribution to extend beyond tourism and encompass its role in the energy sector. Because the party is established outside of the PNM and UNC, political leader Hamel-Smith said it means it is also free from any external influences.
