It is truly ironic, and deeply hypocritical, that Ancil Dennis and the Minority Leader of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) would attempt to lay the blame for Tobago’s rising crime and economic difficulties at the feet of the THA, while conveniently ignoring the Central Government’s own failures in these areas—failures directly tied to their own PNM (People’s National Movement) party.
Dennis recently lamented, “I am quite disappointed with the management of Tobago’s economy at this time, where resources that should be spent in Tobago are not being spent in Tobago. Therefore, it’s taking away opportunities from young people, especially people who had opportunities available to them before—for unemployment, for business, etc.”
He even went so far as to ask, “What impact did that have on Tobago’s current situation with crime?” He further pointed out that the THA is responsible for sports, youth programmes, and community development—all of which, in his view, can impact Tobago’s security.
However, it is deeply hypocritical for Dennis to point fingers at the THA while failing to acknowledge the same issues within his own party. The Central Government, led by the PNM for many years, holds responsibility for national security, and it is under their watch that Trinidad and Tobago has seen runaway crime rates. Yet Dennis, being a key figure of this same party, fails to recognise the irony of his statements.
If mismanagement of resources and failure to provide opportunities for young people are contributing factors to crime, then the PNM-led Central Government must be held accountable for the national situation, including the crisis unfolding in Tobago.
Dennis’ comments about the THA neglecting the island’s youth and economy should serve as a mirror to reflect his party’s own shortcomings. While the THA has responsibilities for certain aspects of Tobago’s development, the resources and authority for major initiatives—especially those related to national security—rest with the Central Government.
Dennis, as a member of the PNM and a former chief secretary of the THA, is fully aware of this. Yet rather than facing the truth and addressing his party’s failures to manage national security and economic opportunities for all citizens, he deflects blame onto the THA, in an attempt to divert attention and score political points.
If Dennis truly wishes to help Tobago and the youth he claims to champion, he should start by holding his own party, the PNM, accountable for its failure to effectively manage the national economy and security. The crime situation in Tobago cannot be divorced from the national picture, and any attempt to do so is both misleading and dishonest.
The people of Tobago deserve more than hollow words and blame-shifting. They deserve leaders who are willing to confront the truth and address the root causes of crime, which include the failures of the PNM-led Government to provide the resources and security necessary for a safer, more prosperous future.
Dennis cannot escape the fact that as a member of the PNM, he shares responsibility for the very same failures of which he accuses the THA. Until he and his party face the truth about their own role in the nation’s security crisis, his words will remain a hypocritical attempt to deflect blame rather than solve the real issues facing the people of Tobago.
Thankfully, Tobagonians are smarter than that and will easily see through Dennis’ monumental hypocrisy as all they want are solutions and not finger-pointing as Dennis and his Central Government PNM are so excellent in doing.
Jaybee Harper
Tobago