“One only has to look around, not only at the rest of the world, but the rest of the region to see and to understand that there is no island in the world the size of Tobago or anything near it which is in a similar situation, or which indeed will accept the situation in which Tobago exists in relation to these constitutional and legislative arrangements.” Honourable A.N.R Robinson, House of Representatives, November 25, 1996.
The Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals (HFYP) holds this opinion as self-evident, and it is against this backdrop and in keeping with its mandate of policy and politics, that the Executive of the HFYP appointed a special committee from its Legal and Communication Offices to spearhead research to responsibly develop a position paper on THE CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) (TOBAGO SELF-GOVERNMENT) BILL, 2020 (“the Bill”).
On June 29, 2021, at the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, a six (6) member delegation of the Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals, formally presented this position paper to the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, Assemblyman Ancil Dennis (Hon.); Political Leader, PNM Tobago Council, Assemblyman Tracy Davidson- Celestine (Hon.) and Minister of Youth Development and National Service and PNM General Secretary, Foster Cummings (Hon.) at the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Despite this week’s setbacks by an obstructionist Opposition Bench, the Heliconia Foundation stands steadfast in its view that the benefits of this Bill will afford Tobagonians with greater economic flexibility, social and communal pride and a greater sense of trust and confidence in a Parliamentary body which is more representative of their particular needs and will further assist in the development of a unified Trinidad and Tobago.
The full text of the Foundation’s Opinion on THE CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) (TOBAGO SELF-GOVERNMENT) BILL, 2020 (“the Bill”) can be accessed here.
Heliconia Foundation Communications Office
Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals (HFYP)
Website: www.heliconiafoundation.com
Email: heliconiacommunications@gmail.com
