People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council political leader Tracy Davidson-Celestine has accused the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) and the United National Congress (UNC) of maligning the reputation of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC).

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the EBC (Local Government and Tobago House of Assembly) Order 2021 by a simple majority.

It proposes 15 electoral districts in the upcoming THA election to break the unprecedented six-six tie between the PNM and the PDP after the January 25 poll.

But PDP political leader Watson Duke and the UNC have accused the EBC of giving the PNM an unfair advantage in its proposed boundary changes.

PNM MPs Faris Al-Rawi and Shamfa Cudjoe, in their contributions to debate on the motion to adopt the EBC’s report on Wednesday, denied the commission favoured the party i creatingthe 15 electoral districts.

In a statement on Thursday, Davidson-Celestine said, “It is unacceptable that representatives from the other political sides would malign the reputation of the EBC for cheap points. Leaders should know better and political agendas are no excuse for bad behaviour.”

Further, she said the UNC’s threat of legal action “is unnecessary and another attempt to create drama to attract the public and media attention.

“Will the UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar tear up the amendment like she did the autonomy bills?” Davidson-Celestine asked.

“The people of Tobago will not be kind to the UNC and the PDP if they stymie this process after nine months. Let us allow the democratic process to take its course.”