Tobago House of Assembly

Tobago House of Assembly
Eleventh Assembly
Seal of the Tobago House of Assembly
Flag of the Tobago House of Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
Presiding Officer	Vacant since 28 January 2021
Chief Secretary	Ancil Dennis, PNM since 6 May 2020
Structure
Seats	12
Political groups	Caretaker government (6)   PNM (6) Opposition (6)   PDP (6)
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	25 January 2021
Next election	2025 or earlier
Meeting place
Assembly Legislative Chambers, Jermingham Street, Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago
Website
http://www.tha.gov.tt/

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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 re-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]

The current Chief Secretary of Tobago is Ancil Dennis of the People's National Movement, the youngest Chief Secretary in history, in office since May 6, 2020.

As of 20 April 2021, there are only four female assembly members, or 33.3%.

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 Assembly Members[]

Party Divisions by Assembly[]

Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	DAC	Independent	Total seats
1st	1980	A. N. R. Robinson (1926-2014)		DAC wins control of the House of Assembly under A. N. R. Robinson, forming the first Tobagonian government.	4	8		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	DAC	Independent	Total seats
2nd	1984	A. N. R. Robinson (1926-2014)		DAC forms another government under A. N. R. Robinson. The DAC merges with other political parties to form the NAR.	1	11		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	NAR	Independent	Total seats
3rd	1988	Jefferson Davidson (c. 1938-)		NAR forms another government under Jefferson Davidson.	1	11		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	NAR	Independent	Total seats
4th	1992	Lennox Denoon (1930–2007)		NAR forms another government under Lennox Denoon.	1	11		148
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	NAR	Independent	Total seats
5th	1996	Hochoy Charles (–)		NAR forms another government under Hochoy Charles.	1	10	1	12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	NAR	Independent	Total seats
6th	2001	Orville London (1945– )		PNM forms its first government under Orville London.	8	4		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	DAC	Independent	Total seats
7th	2005	Orville London (1945– )		PNM forms another government under Orville London.	11	1		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	TOP	Independent	Total seats
8th	2009	Orville London (1945– )		PNM forms another government under Orville London.	8	4		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	TOP	Independent	Total seats
9th	2013	Orville London (1945– )		PNM forms another government under Orville London.	12	0		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	PDP	Independent	Total seats
10th	2017	Kelvin Charles (1957– ) Ancil Dennis (1987– )		PNM forms another government under Kelvin Charles.	10	2		12
Election Year		Chief Secretary		Summary	PNM	PDP	Independent	Total seats
11th	2021	Ancil Dennis (1987– )		First deadlock in the history of the assembly. PNM forms a caretaker government under Ancil Dennis.	6	6		12

See also[]

• Chief Secretary of Tobago
• List of Presiding Officers of the Tobago House of Assembly
• Local government in Trinidad and Tobago
• Politics of Trinidad and Tobago

References[]

External links[]

• Official website