Tobago House of Assembly

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) is a unicameral autonomous legislative body responsible for the island of Tobago within the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. The THA was established in 1980[1] to rectify some of the disparities in the relationship between the two islands, though a prior body using 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 impose local law or zoning regulations. At the helm of the Assembly Legislature is the Presiding Officer with the twelve 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 Assembly
Tenth Assembly
Seal of the Tobago House of Assembly
Flag of the Tobago House of Assembly
Type
Type
Leadership
Presiding Officer
Vanessa Cutting-Thomas, PNM
since 19 December 2019
Ancil Dennis, PNM
since 06 May 2020
Minorty Leader
Watson Duke, PDP
since 3 January 2017
Structure
Seats12
Political groups
Government (10)
     PNM (10)
Opposition (2)
     PDP (2)
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
23 January 2017
Next election
24 January 2021 or earlier
Meeting place
Assembly Legislative Chambers, Jermingham Street, Scarborough, Saint Andrew, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
Website
http://www.tha.gov.tt/
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History

The 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 Seceretary 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]

Current Composition
Incumbent Party Electoral District
  Joel Jack PNM Bacolet/Mount. St. George
  Watson Duke PDP Belle Garden East/Roxborough/Delaford
  Shomari Hector PNM Bethel/Mt. Irvine
  Kelvin Charles PNM Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden
  Ancil Dennis PNM Buccoo/Mount Pleasant
  Clarence Jacob PNM Canaan/Bon Accord
  Hayden Spencer PNM Goodwood/Belle Garden West
  Jomo Pitt PNM Lambeau/Signal Hill
  Farley Augustine PDP Parlatuvier/ L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside
  Marisha Osmond PNM Plymouth/Golden Lane
  Sheldon Cunningham PNM Providence/ Mason Hall/Moriah
  Marslyn Melville-Jack PNM Scarborough/ Calder Hall


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See also

References
  1. Tobago Division Of Tourism - About Tobago, Governance Archived 2007-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 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.
  3. About the Assembly (THA), Tobago House of Assembly
  4. Staff (2009-01-22). "TOP gains ground, but unhappy with illegal advertising". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
  5. Staff (2013-01-21). "CLEAN SWEEP". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  6. Staff (2013-01-24). "Orville wants 2 neutral voices". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
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