It is now common knowledge among Tobagonians, that the Minister of Tobago Development Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, used the following statement when asked about the lead up to the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections 2013.

"You know that who have more corn could feed more fowls". This statement has angered all right thinking Tobagonians. This column and the Tobago Council of the PNM, wishes to place on record its disappointment and full disagreement with that statement.

If this utterance came from the ordinary man in the street, or the usual party hack of the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), then it could have been dismissed as political banter, as some spokesmen for the Minister and members of the TOP claimed, on a television talk show recently. But we have to take this statement seriously, because Mrs Toppin is a Minister of Government in the Cabinet, and a high ranking member of the TOP.

If we examine this situation carefully, and put everything in its proper perspective we would realize that Tobagonians are in for a rough ride in 2012.We all know that this year is the build up to the THA elections in 2013.

As mentioned before she is a Cabinet Minister. Are we then to assume that this approach to THA elections in 2013 is her plan or that of the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago, and consequently the Prime Minister, Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar. If this assumption is correct then it means that part of the plan would be to starve the Tobago House of Assembly for funds, and then try to get Tobagonians to blame the THA for their problems. The Central Government will then come in like a knight in shining armour and pretend to feed Tobagonians with the things that they were entitled to all along, in order to get their votes.

Such an example is obvious in the approach of the Central Government to the URP and CPEP Programmes. The UNC led Central Government has not provided any funding for the CPEP in 2011, and has not done so as yet for 2012. As a matter of fact, they have even tried to open their own CPEP in Tobago. In addition, it is alleged that they are now seeking to bring the 'Colour me Orange' Programme to Tobago. In the case of URP, the UNC led Central Government has underfunded the programme in 2011, and to date, has not provided any funding for 2012. It is clear, that this Government is attacking the very bread and butter of the grass roots people, as it has done in Trinidad with the same two programmes. They have put a lot of single mothers on the breadline in Trinidad, and have caused undue hardships for their children.

This column, congratulates this PNM Assembly for its astute management of THA funds. This has allowed them to keep CPEP and URP in full operation in Tobago, in the face of the starvation for the funding, such that Tobago's single parents are well taken care of. The true Tobago trait, espoused by this PNM Assembly, of "putting up something for the rainy day" has paid great dividends for the people of Tobago, and has allowed them to keep their pride in tack. Although, the starvation plan of the Central Government has not worked so far,Tobagonians must be warned, that this recent statement by the Representative for Tobago East, means that this UNC led Central Government will not give up. This column is therefore advising all Tobagonians, to be vigilant and very frugal in these upcoming months as we get closer to 2013.

Mrs AlleyneToppin's statement could even be examined in the context of her position, as a high ranking member of the TOP in Tobago. Could Tobagonians therefore conclude that this is also a TOP strategy, and that the TOP is in full agreement with this treatment of Tobagonians and the Tobago House of Assembly? Does the TOP see Tobagonians as people who can be bribed for their support, even though the faults, or rather missteps of the UNC led Coalition can be seen every day?

The silence of the Minority Leader, the Minister of Tobago Development and the Representative for Tobago West Dr. Delmon Baker, on the issues of disrespect to the Tobago House of Assembly, seems to suggest that they are all part of the big plan to rule Tobagonians with the 'whip'.

"Who have more corn could feed more fowl" says to the people of Tobago East that their representative, the person who they voted for, seems to think that representation means that she could disrespect her constituents; that she could provide absolutely no representation for them on issues that affect them, and then come after thirty-one months (in the case of the THA elections), and sixty months(in the case of the general elections), and give out gifts to the people of Tobago East, to get their votes.

It is clear that the Minister has totally underestimated the strength and character of the people of Tobago East. Mrs. Toppin, the TOP and the UNC led Partnership really believe that the people of Tobago are fowls. What is a fowl? All the dictionaries agree that fowl means a domesticated bird. There is even one that goes a little further and refer to it as "the domesticated barnyard has a rooster" This is what we commonly call 'yard fowl'.

Tobagonians would know that in the old days every home had fowls in the yard and these fowls were kept at the yard owner's whims and fancy. They had no rights, no independence and no choice but to be fed, and fattened and slaughtered at the appropriate time. It is alarming and downright disrespectful to refer to Tobagonians as fowls.

My last check on who is a Tobagonian, revealed something that was markedly different from the Minister's definition. I know that Tobagonians are proud, honest, frugal, respectable, ambitious, strong, independent, resourceful, god-fearing and loyal people. Our history proves this. Our leaders before the advent of the now TOP Leader all had these traits. Our present leader of the Tobago House of Assembly Honourable Orville London exemplifies these characteristics.On the national and international scene wherever Tobagonians excel, whether in sports, religion or the judiciary, you see this true Tobago character coming to the fore.

So this column asks, has the Minister of Tobago Development, the Minority Leader, and the Representative for Tobago West lost their Tobagonian character? Have they surrendered their true Tobago pride for some corn? Are their mouths so full of the crumbs that come from their political master's table that they cannot talk?Is this the same position that they want to put Tobagonians in after 2013? Are they part of the big plan of the UNC led Partnership to recolonize Tobago? Are they trying to reduce us to fowls in the yard?

It was the Prime Minister who after winning the General Elections and the Local Government Elections stated clearly that Tobago is next. This column asks 'next for what'? Tobagonians are seeing daily what she has done to the people in Trinidad. The atrocities meted out to the people in CPEP and URP, state enterprises, contract workers and the list goes on. Tobagonians are seeing daily the treatment of the Municipal Corporations and the approach to Local Government issues. If Tobago is next, we must ask again, next for what?