The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is a unicameraldevolvedlegislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. The THA was re-established in 1980[1] to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands; a prior body of the same name existed from 1768 to 1874.[2] In addition to the normal local government functions, the THA handles many of the responsibilities of the central government, but has limited ability to collect taxes and to impose local law or zoning regulations. At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the fifteen elected assemblymen, and four appointed councillors. Three of the councillors are appointed on the advice on the Chief Secretary and one on the advice of the Minority Leader. The Chief Secretary is the leader of the majority party in the assembly and is at the helm of the Executive arm of the THA.[3]
The current Chief Secretary of Tobago is Farley Chavez Augustine who is the second youngest Chief Secretary in history, in office since December 6, 2021. He was elected as a member of the PDP but left the party to first become an independent in 2022, then later setting up his own political party the Tobago People's Party.
In the 2001 elections the PNM gained control of the THA, winning 8 seats to the NAR's four. The PNM consolidated their hold on the THA in the January 2005 elections winning 11 seats while the DAC (which reformed after splintering from the NAR in 2004) gained a single seat.
In the 2013 elections, the TOP was defeated in a landslide by the PNM, losing the 4 seats it held previously, giving the PNM complete control of the THA.[5] However, Chief Secretary Orville London asked Prime MinisterKamla Persad-Bissessar to introduce a bill in the country's parliament that would change the country's constitution to allow the President of the Republic to choose two independent councillors at his/her discretion to serve as opposition in the THA in the event of a 12-0 election result.[6]
As of 2021, the THA employed about 60% of Tobago's working population.[7]
In December 2022, 13 members of the PDP left the party to govern as independents in 2022, and in 2023 setting up the Tobago People's Party.[8][9]
^Tobago Division Of Tourism – About Tobago, Governance 2007-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
^Dupont, Jerry (2001). "Trinidad and Tobago". The common law abroad: constitutional and legal legacy of the British empire. William S. Hein Publishing. pp. 295–303. ISBN0-8377-3125-9. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
^About the Assembly (THA), Tobago House of Assembly
^Staff (22 January 2009). "TOP gains ground, but unhappy with illegal advertising". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
^Staff (24 January 2013). "Orville wants 2 neutral voices". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
^"Chief Secretary: Vaccine mandate a recipe for disaster". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
^"Mass resignation from PDP of Farley and team: Tobago now run by Independents". Trinidad Express. 5 December 2022.
^"Augustine launches new Tobago party, calls for general election". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
External linksedit
Official website
January 01, 1970
tobago, house, assembly, unicameral, devolved, legislative, body, responsible, island, tobago, within, unitary, state, trinidad, tobago, established, 1980, rectify, some, disparities, relationship, between, islands, prior, body, same, name, existed, from, 1768. The Tobago House of Assembly THA is a unicameral devolved legislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago The THA was re established in 1980 1 to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands a prior body of the same name existed from 1768 to 1874 2 In addition to the normal local government functions the THA handles many of the responsibilities of the central government but has limited ability to collect taxes and to impose local law or zoning regulations At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the fifteen elected assemblymen and four appointed councillors Three of the councillors are appointed on the advice on the Chief Secretary and one on the advice of the Minority Leader The Chief Secretary is the leader of the majority party in the assembly and is at the helm of the Executive arm of the THA 3 Tobago House of Assembly12th AssemblySeal of the Tobago House of AssemblyFlag of the Tobago House of AssemblyTypeTypeUnicameralLeadershipPresiding OfficerAbby Taylor since 9 December 2021Chief SecretaryFarley Chavez Augustine TPP since 9 December 2021Minority LeaderKelvon Morris PNM since 9 December 2021StructureSeats15Political groupsGovernment Tobago People s Party 13 Opposition Progressive Democratic Patriots 1 People s National Movement 1 ElectionsVoting systemFirst past the postLast election6 December 2021Meeting placeAssembly Legislative Chambers Jermingham Street Scarborough Tobago Trinidad and TobagoWebsitehttp www tha gov tt The current Chief Secretary of Tobago is Farley Chavez Augustine who is the second youngest Chief Secretary in history in office since December 6 2021 He was elected as a member of the PDP but left the party to first become an independent in 2022 then later setting up his own political party the Tobago People s Party Contents 1 History 2 Current Assembly Members 3 Party Divisions by Assembly 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe first THA elections were held on November 24 1980 The Democratic Action Congress led by A N R Robinson won eight seats and the People s National Movement PNM won four seats a reversal of the 1977 County Council elections in which the PNM won seven seats and the DAC 4 The DAC went on to win the 1984 elections by a margin of 11 1 over the PNM The National Alliance for Reconstruction into which the DAC merged in 1986 continued to dominate the THA winning the 1988 elections and the 1992 elections by an 11 1 margin over the PNM It won the 1996 elections by a margin of 10 2 with the PNM and an independent candidate winning one seat each In the 2001 elections the PNM gained control of the THA winning 8 seats to the NAR s four The PNM consolidated their hold on the THA in the January 2005 elections winning 11 seats while the DAC which reformed after splintering from the NAR in 2004 gained a single seat In the 2009 elections held on January 19 2009 the PNM won 8 seats while a new party the Tobago Organization of the People won 4 seats 4 In the 2013 elections the TOP was defeated in a landslide by the PNM losing the 4 seats it held previously giving the PNM complete control of the THA 5 However Chief Secretary Orville London asked Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar to introduce a bill in the country s parliament that would change the country s constitution to allow the President of the Republic to choose two independent councillors at his her discretion to serve as opposition in the THA in the event of a 12 0 election result 6 As of 2021 the THA employed about 60 of Tobago s working population 7 In December 2022 13 members of the PDP left the party to govern as independents in 2022 and in 2023 setting up the Tobago People s Party 8 9 Current Assembly Members editIncumbent Party Electoral District Natisha Charles Pantin TPP Bagatelle Bacolet Watson Duke PDP Roxborough Argyle Terance Baynes TPP Bethel New Grange Kelvon Morris PNM Darrell Spring Whim Sonny Grieg TPP Buccoo Mount Pleasant Joel Sampson TPP Bon Accord Crown Point Faith B Yisrael TPP Belle Garden Glamorgan Nigel Taitt TPP Signal Hill Patience Hill Farley Chavez Augustine TPP Parlatuvier L Anse Fourmi Speyside Zorisha Hackett TPP Bethesda Les Coteaux Ian Pollard TPP Mason Hall Moriah Trevor James TPP Scarborough Mt Grace Megan Morrison TPP Mt St George Goodwood Wane Clarke TPP Lambeau Lowlands Niall George TPP Plymouth Black RockParty Divisions by Assembly editSession Election PNM PDP Total seats 12th Monday 6 December 2021 1 14 15 11th Monday 25 January 2021 6 6 12 10th Monday 23 January 2017 10 2 12 Session Election PNM Total seats 9th Monday 21 January 2013 12 12 Session Election PNM TOP Total seats 8th Monday 19 January 2009 8 4 12 Session Election PNM DAC Total seats 7th Monday 17 January 2005 11 1 12 Session Election PNM NAR Total seats 6th Monday 29 January 2001 8 4 12 Session Election PNM NAR Independent Total seats 5th Monday 9 December 1996 1 10 1 12 4th Monday 7 December 1992 1 11 12 3rd Tuesday 29 November 1988 1 11 12 Session Election PNM DAC Total seats 2nd Monday 26 November 1984 1 11 12 1st Monday 24 November 1980 4 8 12 ElectionYear Chairman Summary PNM DAC Independent Totalseats 1st 1980 A N R Robinson 1926 2014 nbsp DAC wins control of the House of Assembly under A N R Robinson forming the first Tobagonian government 4 8 12 ElectionYear Chairman Summary PNM DAC Independent Totalseats 2nd 1984 A N R Robinson 1926 2014 nbsp DAC forms another government under A N R Robinson The DAC merges with other political parties to form the NAR 1 11 12 ElectionYear Chairman Summary PNM NAR Independent Totalseats 3rd 1988 Jefferson Davidson c 1938 2023 nbsp NAR forms another government under Jefferson Davidson 1 11 12 ElectionYear Chairman Summary PNM NAR Independent Totalseats 4th 1992 Lennox Denoon 1930 2007 nbsp NAR forms another government under Lennox Denoon 1 11 12 ElectionYear Chairman Summary PNM NAR Independent Totalseats 5th 1996 Hochoy Charles 1946 2023 nbsp NAR forms another government under Hochoy Charles 1 10 1 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM NAR Independent Totalseats 6th 2001 Orville London 1945 nbsp PNM forms its first government under Orville London 8 4 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM DAC Independent Totalseats 7th 2005 Orville London 1945 nbsp PNM forms another government under Orville London 11 1 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM TOP Independent Totalseats 8th 2009 Orville London 1945 nbsp PNM forms another government under Orville London 8 4 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM TOP Independent Totalseats 9th 2013 Orville London 1945 nbsp PNM forms another government under Orville London 12 0 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM PDP Independent Totalseats 10th 2017 Kelvin Charles 1957 Ancil Dennis 1987 nbsp nbsp PNM forms another government under Kelvin Charles 10 2 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM PDP Independent Totalseats 11th 2021 January Ancil Dennis 1987 nbsp First deadlock in the history of the assembly PNM forms a caretaker government under Ancil Dennis 6 6 12 ElectionYear Chief Secretary Summary PNM PDP Independent Totalseats 12th 2021 December Farley Chavez Augustine 1985 nbsp PDP forms its first government under Farley Chavez Augustine 1 14 15See also editChief Secretary of Tobago List of Presiding Officers of the Tobago House of Assembly Local government in Trinidad and Tobago Politics of Trinidad and TobagoReferences edit Tobago Division Of Tourism About Tobago Governance Archived 2007 07 10 at the Wayback Machine Dupont Jerry 2001 Trinidad and Tobago The common law abroad constitutional and legal legacy of the British empire William S Hein Publishing pp 295 303 ISBN 0 8377 3125 9 Retrieved 26 July 2010 About the Assembly THA Tobago House of Assembly Staff 22 January 2009 TOP gains ground but unhappy with illegal advertising Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Retrieved 10 April 2009 Staff 21 January 2013 CLEAN SWEEP Trinidad and Tobago Express Retrieved 21 January 2013 Staff 24 January 2013 Orville wants 2 neutral voices Trinidad and Tobago Express Retrieved 24 January 2013 Chief Secretary Vaccine mandate a recipe for disaster Trinidad and Tobago Newsday 22 December 2021 Retrieved 23 December 2021 Mass resignation from PDP of Farley and team Tobago now run by Independents Trinidad Express 5 December 2022 Augustine launches new Tobago party calls for general election Trinidad and Tobago Guardian 14 August 2023 Retrieved 20 August 2023 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tobago House of Assembly amp oldid 1214863779, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
