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All 12 seats in the Tobago House of Assembly 7 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 50.20% ( 19.88 pp) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results map for the 2017 Tobago House of Assembly general election, where the following colours denote each respective party: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 23 January 2017. The result was a victory for the People's National Movement, which won ten of the twelve seats in the Tobago House of Assembly. [1]
| Constituency | Movement for Transformation | People's National Movement | Progressive Democratic Patriots | Tobago Forwards | Invalid ballots | Total | Electorate | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parlatuvier/L' Anse Fourmi/Speyside | 0 | 926 | 1,095 | 111 | 4 | 2,136 | 3,650 | 58.52% |
| Goodwood/Belle Garden West | 0 | 953 | 948 | 332 | 8 | 2,241 | 4,142 | 54.10% |
| Belle Garden East/Roxborough/Delaford | 14 | 949 | 1,261 | 34 | 3 | 2,261 | 3,741 | 60.44% |
| Scarborough/Calder Hall | 0 | 1,130 | 512 | 184 | 8 | 1,834 | 4,076 | 45.00% |
| Lambeau/Signal Hill | 0 | 1,185 | 424 | 372 | 11 | 1,992 | 4,343 | 45.87% |
| Bacolet/Mt. St. George | 0 | 1,157 | 425 | 191 | 12 | 1,785 | 3,683 | 48.47% |
| Canaan/Bon Accord | 0 | 1,188 | 547 | 197 | 5 | 1,937 | 4,000 | 48.43% |
| Buccoo/Mt. Pleasant | 0 | 1,291 | 319 | 266 | 9 | 1,885 | 4,363 | 43.20% |
| Bethel/Mt Irvine | 0 | 1,184 | 283 | 674 | 4 | 2,145 | 4,370 | 49.08% |
| Providence/Mason Hall/Moriah | 28 | 1,089 | 800 | 129 | 3 | 2,049 | 4,265 | 48.04% |
| Plymouth/Golden Lane | 0 | 1,012 | 493 | 434 | 10 | 1,949 | 3,857 | 50.53% |
| Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden | 17 | 1,246 | 430 | 428 | 8 | 2,129 | 4,490 | 47.42% |
| Total | 59 | 13,310 | 7,537 | 3,352 | 85 | 24,343 | 48,490 | 50.20% |
| 0.24% | 54.87% | 31.07% | 13.82% | – | ||||
| Swing | New | 6.55% | New | New | – | |||
| Electoral District | Previous control | Subsequent control | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacolet/Mt. St. George | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Belle Garden East/Roxborough/Delafor | PNM | PDP | ||||
| Bethel/Mt Irvine | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Black Rock/Whim /SpringTobago Council of the Garden | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Buccoo/Mt. Pleasant | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Canaan/Bon Accord | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Goodwood/Belle Garden West | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Lambeau/Signal Hill | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Parlatuvier/L'Anse Fourmi/Speyside | PNM | PDP | ||||
| Plymouth/Golden Lane | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Providence/Mason Hall/Moriah | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Scarborough/Calder Hall | PNM | PNM | ||||
| Source: EBC | ||||||
The politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, from which the country gained its independence in 1962. Under the 1976 republican Constitution, the monarch was replaced as head of state by a President chosen by an electoral college composed of the members of the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Tobago is an island and ward within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast of the larger island of Trinidad and about 160 kilometres (99 mi) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. It also lies to the southeast of Grenada. The official bird of Tobago is the cocrico.
Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson, was the third President of Trinidad and Tobago, serving from 19 March 1997 to 17 March 2003. He was also Trinidad and Tobago's third Prime Minister, serving in that capacity from 18 December 1986 to 17 December 1991. He is recognized for his proposal that eventually led to the founding of the International Criminal Court.
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 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. 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 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.
Elections in Trinidad and Tobago gives information on election and election results in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Democratic Action Congress (DAC) was a Tobago-based political party in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago is the legislative branch of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The Parliament is bicameral. Besides the President of Trinidad and Tobago, it is composed of the House of Representatives, which is composed of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in addition to 41 directly elected members serving a five-year term in single-seat constituencies, and the Senate which has 31 members appointed by the President: 16 Government Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 6 Opposition Senators appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 9 Independent Senators appointed by the President to represent other sectors of civil society. It is at present the only parliament in the world with an incumbent female President, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Leader of the Opposition and made history by appointing the Caribbean's first and only transgender parliamentarian on 15 February 2022. As of 20 April 2021, there are only 24 female members, or 32.9% and eight members born in Tobago or 11.0%.
The Senate of Trinidad and Tobago is the appointed upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, along with the President and House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago. The Senate currently sits at the Red House. The Senate has 31 members all appointed by the President: 16 Government Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 6 Opposition Senators appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 9 Independent Senators appointed on the discretion of the President from outstanding persons who represent other sectors of civil society. The presiding officer, the President of the Senate, is elected from among the Senators who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries. A senator must be at least 25 years old and a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. The current President of the Senate is Senator Christine Kangaloo. As of 20 April 2021, there are only 13 female senators, or 41.9% and 6 Tobagonian senators or 19.4%. The Senate made history on 15 February 2022 by appointing Jowelle de Souza as an acting opposition senator, thus making her the Caribbean's first and only transgender parliamentarian.
Trinidad and Tobago is divided into nine regions, three boroughs, two city corporations and one ward.
Religion in Trinidad and Tobago, which is a multi-religious country, is classifiable as follows:
The Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) is an autonomist political party in Tobago formed in 2008. Its current political leader is Ashworth Jack. The party was formed in 2008 from a split with the Democratic Action Congress.
A local election for 12 seats in the Tobago House of Assembly was held on 21 January 2013. The election was a clean sweep by the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement, winning all 12 seats in the Tobago House of Assembly, the only time this feat has ever been accomplished in elections in Trinidad and Tobago.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 25 January 2021 where 12 members were elected in the eleventh election since the Assembly was established in 1980. This election marked the first time in history that both parties elected, the People's National Movement (PNM) and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) won an equal number seats of 6-6, despite the PNM winning the popular vote, resulting in a deadlock and a constitutional crisis with both political parties and Prime Minister Keith Rowley seeking senior counsel advice on the way forward. This election was the first time after 20 years in power that the PNM lost its absolute majority. This election also marked the first time a female political leader was elected to the Assembly and the first time a woman led a major political party or a political party with representation in the Assembly, following the 2020 Tobago Council of the People's National Movement leadership election where Health Secretary, councillor and former Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador to Costa Rica and former Deputy Chief Secretary of Tobago Tracy Davidson-Celestine made history by being elected as the PNM's first female political leader at the regional or national level and one of the first bilingual political leaders in the country's history. If Davidson-Celestine and the PNM were to be elected with a majority to their sixth consecutive term in office, she would have made history, becoming the first female Chief Secretary of Tobago. The election was held alongside local by-elections in Trinidad in which the PNM and UNC retained two districts and the PNM losing one to the UNC.
The Chief Secretary of Tobago is the leader of the Tobagonian Government. The Chief Secretary chairs the Tobagonian Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Tobagonian Government policy. Additional functions of the Chief Secretary include promoting and representing Tobago in an official capacity, at home and abroad, and responsibility for constitutional affairs, as they relate to devolution and the Tobagonian Government.
The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM), also known as the Tobago Council of the PNM, PNM Tobago or PNM Tobago Council is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Tobago. The party is the autonomous branch of the Trinidad and Tobago People's National Movement operating in Tobago. While its political leader acts in the local capacity, they also serve as a deputy leader on a national level. The party's executives organize for both local and national election campaigns. There have been three PNM Chief Secretaries and administrations.
Events in the year 2021 in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 2016, it is currently the second-largest party in Tobagonian politics following the decline of the Tobago Organisation of the People. The party plans to contest the upcoming Trinidadian local election and every seat in the next general election, officially launching as a national party on May 1st 2022.
Snap House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 6 December 2021 to elect all 15 members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The election was called following a deadlock created by the January 2021 elections which resulted in a tie between the People's National Movement (PNM) and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP), with both parties winning six seats. As a result, the number of seats in the legislature was increased from 12 to 15 to avoid ties.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 29 January 2001 to elect the twelve members of the Tobago House of Assembly. The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement won eight seats with 46.73% of the vote, while the governing National Alliance for Reconstruction won four seats with 38.44% of the vote. This election is the only time to date that the United National Congress participated in an election in Tobago.
