FANFARE, drums, and dancing marked the arrival of former Tobago House of Assembly minority leader Kelvon Morris as he filed his nomination papers on Friday, signalling his bid for leadership of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council.
Morris is among 16 candidates contesting the party’s upcoming internal election, carded for April 26, under the “Team Unity” banner, having presented a full slate. In announcing the slate, Morris stated, “We have successfully registered 16 outstanding citizens of Tobago who are ready, able and capable to serve this great party the People’s National Movement under the banner of Team Unity led by myself Kelvon Morris as the political leader candidate.”
He emphasised that his leadership would usher in a period of renewal for the party in Tobago. “So, we are looking forward to the rebirth, renewal of this great party the People’s National Movement (PNM) here in Tobago, it’s exciting times. Look around, you can see the faces, a rich mix of youth, experience, female, male, Tobago East, Tobago West and this is what we are talking about but is really reunifying our great party, re-energising this party under my leadership.”
Morris expressed strong confidence in his candidacy, noting that he has received support from former leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine and former leader and former Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles. His slate also includes former Settlements Secretary Clarence Jacob, who is contesting the position of treasurer, and former minority councillor Petal Daniel-Benoit, who is contesting the post of vice chairman.
Outlining his priorities, Morris identified financial matters as a key concern. “Priority number one, we are going to treat with the outstanding monies owed to our members coming out of the last election. Of course, you know it was a difficult election and, therefore, finances was very difficult but we are already putting things in place and we can give the membership the assurance that we would make that issue priority number one and, thereafter, treating with all the persons who would have come forward and contest. My main goal is unifying the party, so it’s also meeting with them and ensuring that they understand they have a place. In fact, as we go forward every member is valuable.”
He further indicated that his leadership vision is guided by a strategic framework titled the “People’s Roadmap to Victory” for the 2030 THA and general elections, built on six foundational pillars.
Shamfa throws her
hat in the race
Meanwhile, former Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, who also filed nomination papers, says she intends to run a humble campaign free of any slate or fanfare leading towards the internal election. Nominations closed on Friday and on Saturday night the PNM issued the final list of 17 for the positions within the PNM Tobago Council. This is Cudjoe-Lewis first internal election for the Executive of the PNM Tobago Council. She filed her nomination papers at the office of the PNM Tobago Council uptown Scarborough.
“I don’t see the need for any set of fanfare. We must admit and acknowledge that the Tobago Council of the PNM, we owe a lot of people right now and if I had money it would be to pay them. If money touch my hands it would be to take care of that kind of expense first. This is an internal election and it is about really having intimate conversations with our members and it does not require any song and dance to do that,” she said.
Choosing to contest the leadership of the party without a slate, she said she knows there are persons in her camp also working for her rival Kelvon Morris. “On April 27 we are all going to be the People’s National Movement. There are people who are in my team who are also on Kelvon’s team, yes, so they are seeing my strategy and his strategy too, you understand. But what we would gain from the process is we would all come up with ideas on how we would rebuild the PNM,” she added.
Cudjoe-Lewis said she aims at running a clean campaign free of mud slinging, towards returning the PNM back in office. “My business is to offer the PNMites a credible and competent option and its to them to make their choice on who they want to choose and the direction they want to go. I am not somebody who is easy to bend my tail and instruct me and puppet me, you know, I am not that type of person. I am stern as they say, some say she cannot be tamed. At the end of the day it’s being serious about the party’s business, making the hard decisions, taking the necessary actions to put us back on top. I am willing to work with everybody and I am serious about the work at hand.”
