By KARL KUPID Tobago Bureau Friday, September 5 2008

CONFUSION reigns over reports of a political unity between the two opposition parties in Tobago - the Tobago United Front (TUF) and the Democratic Action Congress (DAC).

On one hand, it was announced that the TUF and DAC would announce on September 14, a united political party, while on the other hand, the DAC said it must first meet with its members to decide on the issue of unity with TUF. A meeting to discuss this has been scheduled for this Sunday.

DAC chairman Ashworth Jack, the Minority Leader in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), stressed that there is nothing confusing about the situation. Jack explained that in forging an alliance between the two opposing forces in Tobago, in the run-up to the last general election in November, the DAC was the only organised political party with a constitution while TUF was a grouping of people with similar interests.

He added that the DAC membership mandated the party’s leadership to pursue the issue of one single unified political party and the TUF/DAC alliance had given the undertaking that it “would establish one unified organisation bringing together all like-minded Tobagonians following TUF/ DAC’s participation in the general election.

Jack said a steering committee was established towards this end and following a series of consultations and deliberations, a “consensus on unity” was achieved. “What will be taking place on September 14, at Rovanel’s Resort, is the founding conference of this promised unified single party, at which the party’s constitution and name will be ratified,” Jack said.

Regarding Sunday’s DAC meeting, Jack stressed this was necessary for the party executive to report to the membership on the progress made in the unity talks.

The newly formed political entity will be contesting the upcoming Tobago House of Assembly Election, constitutionally due in January, in a bid to rest control in the assembly for the ruling PNM.