Tag Archives: race and ethnicity in trinidad and tobago

Police State Inna 4D!!!!!

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Daphnee Bartlett, head of the South businessmen association who thinks a Police State is the best option to dealing with crime spikes. Intelligent folk everywhere should be up in arms!Women should be applying to change their gender!

Daphnee Bartlett, head of the South businessmen association who thinks a Police State is the best option to dealing with crime spikes. Intelligent folk everywhere should be up in arms!
Women should be applying to change their gender!

There are daft people sitting in positions of power in this country and we’d better be afraid…truly afraid.

Imagine the San Fernando Businessmen ASSociation, comprised no doubt of businessmen and women from South Trinidad is eagerly proclaiming Better a POLICE State than a CRIMINAL State.

I immediately harked back to the SoE of 2011 when on the night Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her Small Goal Team made the announcement many members of the middle, upper and business classes heaved huge sighs of relief because finally some government was brave enough to lock up all them black people and them….oh yeah…you better recognise that that is what all the relief about the SoE was…..that’s the same thing that fuelled the anti-Sea Lots rant by Darryll Heeralal and Renuka Singh the other day too….all these damn black people…let’s kill them and plant cabbage on them! YEAH!!!!!

Now, we have a group of businesspeople, or the body that represents them coming out to endorse a Police State because the PPG’s Defence Amendment Bill, is under siege both inside and outside the Parliament….and for good cause.

Apparently Daphne Bartlett’s knickers are in a knot about why we don’t want soldiers to have powers of arrest….and like the political leader of this country, Daphne Bartlett has just dealt a severe blow to all intelligent women in the world every where who happen to be attractive, for her colossal intellectual laziness.

I say this because I want to believe Ms Bartlett doesn’t know what a police state is and in her ignorance does not know what she is encouraging or endorsing.

The version of the Defence Amendment Bill that I accessed online says the following:

The Bill seeks to amend section 5 of the Defence Act,
Chap. 14:01 to confer on any member of the Defence Force who is
engaged in assisting any member of the Police Service in the
maintenance of law and order, with the same powers, authorities,
privileges and immunities as are given by law to members of the
Police Service.

In plain wording…the Bill wants to give the exact powers of the Police to a Soldier once he is on patrol.

One of the clever little things that this pdf of the legislation doesn’t quite outline is that Soldiers by law do not fall under the Commissioner of Police, rather authority for soldiers fall under three people: the Chief of Defence Staff, Minister of National Security and ultimately the President, who is Commander in Chief.

Soldiers searching a civilian during the 2011 SoE.

Soldiers searching a civilian during the 2011 SoE.

So the soldier will have all of the powers of a police officer: the ability to detain you, search you, arrest you, question/interrogate you, charge you and lock you up. But he doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Police.

Says it right here:

When any member of the Defence Force
having been charged under subsection (2) with
Enactment Short title Section 5 of
Chap. 14:01 amended the duty of assisting any member of the
Police Service in the maintenance of law and
order and is engaged in so doing, he shall have
the same powers, authorities, privileges and
immunities as are given by law to members
of the Police Service.”.

If he cocks up on the job he is only likely to face a court marshall. If you think Police doh face prison here…wait till Soldier Police arrive!

Now let me explain how a soldier getting these privileges amounts to a Police State. Last night in Parliament Roodal Moonilal was again less than honest with the nation when he said even security officers are precepted. What he failed to explain is that precepted security officers….those allowed to carry weapons and make arrests are actually called Estate Constables and operate by a slightly different set of rules to regular security guards.

This Government, in trying to shove this bill down our throats, has gone into all kinds of arguments about how the army here has no purpose because we have no war for soldiers to fight except the war on drugs. Now, lemme ask you this…when this Government starts its “WAR on DRUGS” and deploys its soldiers to attack the citizenry….which citizens you think will be attacked? The people who bringing in the shipments of drugs….or the people who are used to control the drug blocks?

In all sane and proper countries the purpose of the army is to defend the citizens of a country, not attack them. If Kamla and Jack were serious about fighting crime and waging a war on drugs the country would have three OPV Vessels with a joint patrol of Soldiers and Coast Guard members on board these vessels protecting our borders from traffickers or drugs and guns….but the point of precepting soldiers and making Soldier Police here isn’t to fight crime or to wage a war on drugs….

If you believe that, then you believe the SoE was about fighting crime, protecting the PM from several assassination attempts and preventing Beetham from bunkering fuel.

This precepting of soldiers and making soldiers into police is about something deeper and far sinister. It is about controlling the State.

From as early as June 2010 this government has faced Opposition. The first active opposition came from the THA. And to date the people of Tobago are down on record as having been the most successful at resisting this government thanks to solid legislation in the THA Act and a Chief Secretary who knows his Constitution and isn’t afraid to assert himself. But this Defence Bill will affect Tobago too…and I am yet to hear its position.

Persad-Bissessar announcing the SoE...pretty dangerous!

Persad-Bissessar announcing the SoE…pretty dangerous!

For several months the PP administration enjoyed a delicious honeymoon with both the citizens and the media. People couldn’t get enough of Kamla dashing about in hard hat and OSHA gear by day as she swooped in on  a helicopter to aid the flood afflicted, and by night would transform into an elegant Prime Minister. Haven’t we been accused often enough of “jealousing the PM because she pretty”?

But then came the Reshmi Ramnarine incident….the hiring of telephone operator to run the country’s highest intelligence -gathering agency. What accompanied it too was the thorough and deliberate dismantling of all the country’s security apparati: Blimp, OPVs, Surveillance Equipment, SAUTT.

Then the government brought in a CoP they could manipulate and under whom they could promote and appoint their own select police officers into positions of authority. We have on record a letter from a mid-level police officer who appears to be giving advice to the Prime Minister on who to hire and fire in both the SIA and the Police Service. The basis given for firing people is political. According to the letter, Persad advises the PM to fire people because they seem loyal to the PNM. And we were angry at the Jamaica Observer for talking about ethnic cleansing in our Public Service why?
What that letter outlined was that this is a government bent on political retribution and there is no space in the country for anyone who is PNM or resembles a PNM….and in Trinidad to resemble a PNM you need only have Afro-centric features….if that isn’t both partisan and racist, I don’t know what is….but that is the government we have…a government that is only for it’s people: the UNC/COP Base!

It doesn’t surprise me at all that both the PM and this Police Officer share a last name.

But I digress…I need to explain how precepted soldiers and Police State are linked.

Everywhere you turned during the SoE were images like this one....and oh how the middle and upper classes felt safe!

Everywhere you turned during the SoE were images like this one….and oh how the middle and upper classes felt safe!

So the Reshmi incident happens followed fast and furious by many scandals and then comes the SoE. From August 2011, I said the SoE was only the beginning of the Constitutional ills of this government. The SoE got citizens used to the idea of detaining and locking up people who “look” like criminals. In Trinidad a criminal “looks” like a black person, usually from depressed poor areas. Trust me, the stereotypes are there. In the very first days of the SoE I had several women of Indo descent telling me about how safe they were feeling….not a crime had been solved…but the mere fact that the government had taken upon itself to lock up people who “looked” like criminals made these women happier. And that’s when I realised that Hulsie Bhaggan’s myth of the African rapist who lusts only after Indian women was still alive and well. You go girl!

During that SoE we got accustomed to images of black men in the back of trucks; we got accustomed to images of the AG and Minister of National Security on our tv sets regularly. The AG went after a 14-year-old girl who used YouTube to verbally attack and curse the PM for the SoE….and on Facebook you had feminists lamenting how the PM and Indian women have no voice in Trinidad and couldnt speak out on issues.. they didn’t seem particularly perturbed that an impressionable 14-year-old, who did shit, now had the might of the State in the form of the AG trained on her. You see, these women were all glad that at long last something was being done about the crime….and that something was the random and baseless locking up of people who look like criminals….black people.

Granny Killa...the reason for the SoE????

Granny Killa…the reason for the SoE????

The next threat during that SoE was intimidating people on FaceBook and other forms of Social media. Social media takes power out of a government’s hands and puts it in the hands of its citizens. Imagine tens of thousands of Trinis able to say what they like about the PM and AG and Jack can’t stop them? Madness!

So they began to attack people on Social Media and trained their paid bloggers to attack folks who spoke out against the government.

What became apparent and obvious was fear…people became concerned about what they were posting and saying to each other online. Because folks began to lose jobs or get threats.

Now jump forward to Warner becoming National Security Minister. UNC people were joyful, they knew their government wasn’t performing and because Warner talks a good talk, without having little to show for any of it, they believed Jack would solve the crime problem.

Activist Wayne Kublalsingh at a protest sign in Mon Desir, the site of the controversial multi-billion dollar highway.

Activist Wayne Kublalsingh at a protest sign in Mon Desir, the site of the controversial multi-billion dollar highway.

Within three days of becoming Minister of National Security what did Warner do? He used the might of the army to attack not criminals….protesters. Try and see the trend here folks….at every turn the people being attacked as criminals by this government are the people who are either seen to be PNM or to be opposing the government. anything remotely resembling Opposition has to be squashed.

Warner has since issued threats to a female journalist, the Opposition Leader and a private citizen, Donald Bell. The journalist was targeted in a live, state-sponsored broadcast featuring the Minister of National Security and several other government ministers all hell bent on attacking a journalist. The other two people he attacked under the privilege of Parliament.

On all three occasions what is implied is that Warner has tremendous state apparati at his disposal. He can spy on people and intercept information and use it to intimidate people.

To date, Warner, as National Security Minister hasn’t used any of the surveillance equipment at hand to uncover details about any criminals or to crack any cases….but we know that he knows who having meetings in their homes and who attending…right?

jack-warner-press-conferenceThe same man who doesn’t know a thing about the Flying Squad, can use intelligence to spy on private citizens.

So now we have a situation where a National Security Minister drunk on power and a Prime Minister drunk on….sighh….have taken it upon themselves to precept soldiers and give them powers of arrest and detention.

In a country where a State of Emergency can be called without due process or a valid reason and 8000 people, of whom 80% were of African descent, can be detained without evidence, do we want Soldier Police?

In a country where a Minister of National Security can use state surveillance equipment to spy on and intimidate citizens do we want Soldier Police?

In a country where a secret police Unit can be set up under the same Minister of National Security, complete with 75 officers and a private detention prison in Arouca that no one in the country knows about, do we want Soldier Police?

In a Police State the government controls the social, economic and political life of the citizens.

In a Police State the government imposes these controls on you claiming it is for you own security that your rights are being taken away.

In a Police State after you have given away these rights, even more rights are then taken away….at each point the state claims it is for your own good, for teh safety and security of the NAYYYYSHUN!

The first people targeted are those who oppose the Government publicly…thereafter anything goes as the government becomes more and more paranoid about the perceived enemies of the state.

Think of Nazi Germany, South Africa under apartheid; Haiti under Duvalier…..think Ton Ton Macoute, SS Officers. Think people being quietly arrested and detained and you don’t know which prison cell they are being held in and eventually their beaten or dead body shows up…their one crime being they didn’t agree with the government’s position on an issue.

A five-year-old can tell you that there are a number of ways this government could be tackling crime. Start with the money launderers and see where the trail ends. Clean up the police service so that corrupt officers are no longer protecting drug lords and their turf. Restrict the flow of arms and ammunition across our borders; improve detection skills in the police force and at forensic technology at crime labs.

But putting 1000 soldiers with the powers of arrest under the Ministry of National Security to wage a war against citizens isn’t the way. This isn’t about Warner alone….CDS Kenrick Maharaj doesn’t inspire me with confidence either, nor does Stephen Williams. And I won’t even bother to discuss PM Kamla. This is about an entire government  and its cronies that are drunk on power and will do everything to hold onto it, including removing the rights of its citizens. Section 34 ring a bell?

There is a reason the Sunset Clause lasts two years….by that time a new election is called. Two years to lock down and terrorise a country with an unofficial SoE. Two years to have the government’s specially picked Soldier Police run riot in this town.

If in 3 months the SoE managed to lock up 8000 people, imagine what this government will do in 24….

And this is the asinine decision that Daphne Bartlett and Associates are supporting?

Full Dotish Inna 4D!!!!!!!

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The significance of Muslim Coolie

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I am part coolie and proud. Blame my grandfather. He is the one that led the charge to break the unspoken rules of race purity that people think should exist here. He saw a woman of Portuguese and African descent and decided he was making young Ms Ribeiro his wife. Of course it led to his family disinheriting and shunning him. But I hope it was worth it for him. All of his children, my father included, kept the misbehavior going and continued the tradition of making mixed children. In fact, my father went to the extent of ensuring that his children could lay claim to Tobagonian roots as well. So when we plant our feet on the soil here we have no qualms about saying we are Trinidadian AND Tobagonian. Shout out to Mommy!

Perhaps it is this heritage that makes me feel I belong to this place and the place belongs to me. So when people like Jamal Mohammed make comments about being “insignificant Muslim coolies”, I  have to stop and wonder. You belong to the largest ethnic group in the country and are a part of the ruling government. How exactly are you insignificant?

The Indian male has always been a confuffling creature for me. VS Naipaul often describes the Indian male as weak and cartoonish, reliant on his privileged place in a patriarchal system; secure only in the rituals and traditions imported from India. Now to be fair, this isn’t an accurate description of all Indian males. But Naipaul’s description of more than 50 years ago give the impression that only when insulated by their specific sub-culture does the Indian male feel secure. Of course Naipaul is probably really referring to the Hindu male; just as Bhoe Tewarie does in 1987, when he too talked about Hindus still being insular and having a responsibility to open up an understanding of Hinduism to the rest of the country.

After 167 years, with all of their strides in business, education, culture and politics why do Indian men still feel so insecure here? Why too, after more than a century and a half of sharing the same space is there still a fear of mixing. I’m not making this up. Listen to any of the radio stations and the code is there. I have longstanding friends of Indian descent who admit sheepishly that they can’t take home a non-Indian boy or girl. When you probe further you find out though that non-Indian there is really code for African. Chinese, Syrian/Lebanese and European are just fine.

Mohammed’s “insignificant Muslim coolie” annoyed me on several levels though. You see, having grown up in a mixed family, in a predominantly Indian village of Hindus, Muslims and Christians, I can tell you that when it is so easy for an Indian to call himself “coolie” in a self-deprecating way, it is even easier for him to call someone a “nigger”. And Mohammed’s easy use of racial epithets in a letter to the head of news at a media house tells me that he probably uses the language more often than we can imagine. And this man sits in our Senate and functions as a government minister? When I consider too that the Prime Minister never came out to publicly condemn the statements and actions of the Mohammed, I am even more concerned, because it tells me that the leader of this Government is really past caring what we think of its behavior.

Mohammed’s subsequent apology rings hollow for me and I will tell you why. To write to Dominic Kallipersad in your unofficial capacity – whatever that means for a government minister – is to imply that you and Mr Kallipersad have an unofficial relationship. That perhaps the two of you are friends or former colleagues. There is nothing to suggest that. So, then, when Mr Mohammed says he is writing in an unofficial capacity, what capacity did he mean?

Further, you write a private email in an unofficial capacity using politically incorrect language and fundamentally threatening the media, and when informed that the intention is to let the e-mail go public your response amounts to a shrug?

I think Jamal Mohammed wanted that e-mail to be released to the public and for the simple reason of appealing to the party base. Jack Warner started this several weeks ago when he held up the Express with a story by Asha Javeed. In doing that Warner sought to achieve several things: begin a witch hunt of both Ms Javeed and the Express and distract the country from discussing Section 34. It didn’t work. I don’t want to make light of the idiots trolling and harassing Ms Javeed online; or of the public officials requesting the phone records of media workers; but even with all of these atrocities, the public’s attention remains fixed on Section 34.

In making his comment, Mohammed was again reminding the voter base, this time a direct appeal being made to the “insignificant muslim coolies”, that the enemy right now is the media: Tv6 and Express. This government never fails to take an opportunity to reinforce ethnic divisions in their quest to remain in office. A few weeks ago it was “get in yuh section” from the PM, now it’s Jamal Mohammed subtly reminding the Muslim voter base from San Juan that the government is under siege and they must rally to defend it.

Ignore the fact that this government has access to state tv and radio stations and regularly buys out air time to spread its message. No the focus must be the enemy. The enemy is CCN, and to make sure that people accept that CCN is evil he links the media house with the PNM. Anything linked to the PNM is evil and therefore makes it acceptable to rally against.

Don’t get tie up  folks, Jamal Mohammed’s outburst this week was very calculated. It was done to distract from the motion being brought against the AG that is linked to Section 34. Look out next week for another distraction in the lead up to the march. This government is now so desperate to cling onto to power that it will even call itself names and denigrate its identity. It will prostitute good sense, rely on racist slurs and epithets to rile up the electorate, all in a sad pathetic attempt to distract from their failings.

De Vice Cyah Done!

Real Trinis Talking Race!

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It is no secret that we are entirely mired in tribal politics here in Trinidad and Tobago….but often the perspective is that outside of the politics we get along just fine on other issues. there are a number of FB groups that give themselves very patriotic sounding titles: True Trinis Discussing….Real Trinis ….Proud Trinis Building…. the irony is, go to most of these FB groups and they aren’t actually discussing national issues in any serious way, but hurling mud. For the most part I observe, because entry into discussions gets you called names; further, the minute you say anything anti-the PPG you’re labelled a racist PNMite. Equally, the moment you point out government policy, you are a racist UNC or eating ah food.  There is never an attempt to address the topic at hand, just an immediate launch to “You is ah racist PNM” or  ”a racist UNC”. Apart from the name calling there is also a lot of  finger pointing: PNM did this vs UNC did that.  Such arguments get tedious very quickly, and more often than not on pages that are in support of the People’s Partnership, it is the only type of discussion you will find. Unless you go to a COP wall where there is absolutely no discussion because everyone in the party seems to have been struck mute.
The following is an extract from a wall. I’ve only used initials and kept people’s profiles as anonymous as possible. The initial poster put up the following picture followed by the comment that here was someone’s kind. It won’t take you long to find out which side of the divide they are on. It also won’t take you long to figure out that these political groups aren’t about politics or nation building.
KKG Posted:
Like ·  · Follow Post · 18 hours ago
  • KKG: here is CCP’s “kind”
  • JN SC according to the caption…… YouOnShit KKG……………….. I now know where stupidity lies……………
    11 hours ago · Like · 1
  • KKG: We all know where stupidity lies… With you!
    11 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • CP: Nobody does fight more than your kind when they drink rum so dont come with that! Just yesterday my neighbour of YOUR KIND pulling cutlass for he wife and children cause he drink ah lil rum, try again!! Epic FAIL!
    8 hours ago · Like · 1
  • KKG: At least she is he wife and not child mother… And I could bet all de children is he own too…
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • CP:  You are the living proof of an anal birth yes lolzzzzz smh… I never see nobody so dumb as you! You don’t even know the people from adam but yuh “sure.” pee and go in yuh bed eh lolzzz
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • KKG: Ah sure be minding dem too and not off breeding again and leaving it fuh de govt to mind..
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • CCP: Nah is your kind that running down URP and FODD CARD!
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • KKG: Indian hater… Y u no go back Africa?
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • CP: Tell Kams carry you India lolzz I am Trinidadian to my bone, the red white and black fly high, no place for yellow lolzzzz
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • KKG:  Again with your lies, smh… We all know Indians get nothing for free in this country…And even if they could… The PNM Indian haters like you in the public service make sure they cross fire to get it…They again, look at the population of the jails… Lavantille and beetham… All Grenadian descendants like you…

    7 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • KKG: Beggars and Criminals…
    7 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • CP: Lmaooooooo You wanna call me “Grenandian” and you more black than me? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!Who say madrass!!!!! Lol
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • CP: take note eh….
    7 hours ago · Like
  • DS: Really people… This is the kind of topic we’re debating as Trinis??? What one race’s characteristics are as opposed to another??? And we wonder why we are not moving forward as a society…
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • CP: Look who started it buddy….
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • CP: From the time the truth is told to her she gets in a racial fit
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
  • RM:

     From an article in Jyoti communications
    ………….Warner reminded the House that it was Rowley as Minister of Planning in 2003 who approved a COSTAATT programme that proposed to target Afro-Trinidadian males. When his Prime Minister tried to gloss over the matter when it became public by stating that it was a typo in the budget documents, Rowley boldly proclaimed that it was government policy and no typo.Warner called Rowley a hypocrite, noting the lawsuits that the PNM administration lost in the discrimination cases of Feroza Ramjohn, Devant Maharaj and the Maha Sahba.“Do not come here and pontificate,” Warner said.

    7 hours ago · Like
    7 hours ago · Like
  • DS: It’s not a topic we should encourage… Despite the best intentions of everyone here, ultimately we are just proving to ourselves that we degenerate to the “Race Card” and that’s exactly what all our politicians are hoping we continue to do. Let’s hold all of them accountable on pure delivery and service, nothing else…
    7 hours ago · Like · 1
    • RM: Again from the Jyoti Communications article:……….Warner also noted that the Manning PNM government awarded secret scholarships valued at $53 million through the culture ministry with only 10 per cent going to people of Indian descent. Warner also reminded legislators of depriving the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) of fundingWarner also slammed Rowley on the issue of appointments to state boards noting that of 508 appointments made by the PNM when it was in power 138 members (21 per cent) were Indians as opposed to the People’s partnership record of 53 per cent Indians of the 508 appointments.

      And he pointed out that eight diplomatic appointees under the new government are are African, five are Indians and one a Caucasian.
      ……………………..

      7 hours ago · Like
    • RM: Privy Council allows Equal Opportunity Act
      Thursday, October 18 2007On Monday, the London-based Privy Council hit the Trinidad and Tobago government for not enforcing the Equal Opportunity Act.In a 22-page judgment, the Law Lords allowed the appeal of 20 trinidad citizens and declared that the act, passed under the United National Congress (UNC) government in 2000 was lawful and constitutional.

      (1) Kenneth Suratt (on behalf of himself and 14 others)

      (2) Devon Garray

      (3) Davis Thomas

      (4) Dianne Arneaud

      (5) Abygail Arneaud

      (6) Rakesh Persad

      (7) Ashton Ramsundar

      Appellants

      v

      The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago

      Respondent

      From

      The Court of Appeal of

      Trinidad and Tobago

      Judgment of the Lords of the Judicial

      Committee of the Privy Council (Privy Council Appeal No 84 of 2006)

      Delivered October 15, 2007

      Present at the hearing:

      Lord Bingham of Cornhill

      Baroness Hale of Richmond

      Lord Carswell

      Lord Brown of

      Eaton-under-Heywood

      Lord Mance

      Dissenting judgment of Lord Bingham of Cornhill

      1. This appeal raises a question of great difficulty and importance. It is whether the Equal Opportunity Act 2000 (“the EOA” or “the Act”) is inconsistent with the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, which by section 2 of the Constitution is the supreme law, and so void. It was held to be so by Smith J sitting in the High Court and his decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal (Sharma CJ, Archie and Mendonca JJA) in a judgment of Archie JA with which the other members of the court agreed. The appellants challenge that conclusion.

      7 hours ago · Like
    • RM: The Trinidad guardian
      Tuesday 16th October, 2007″Maharaj claimed that in 2000 the Opposition People’s National Movement took the position that the act was unconstitutional and did not support it.The act was eventually passed by simple majority, but when Prime Minister Patrick Manning took office he refused to implement it.”

      De Vice Cyah Done!

Doing the Ethnocentric Hustle People’s Panchayat Style

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September last year a Guardian columnist did a very interesting article about doing the Afrocentric Hustle, it was, I think, a useful article. In it the writer tried to show the dangers of ethnocentrism within the Afro-Trinbagonian community and how it stultifies growth. He made his usual jabs at the people, artists, writers here who identify themselves as “afrocentrists” and in a way made suggestions. I had hoped that the column would have been the start of a series of columns wherein he’d depart from his usual style -which usually blames the PNM, accuses UWI of being stupid and Afrocentric, equates PNM with Black, attacks Carnival and a few  other Creole (read Euro/Afro) cultural forms and defines them in a negative light – and actually do a series of pieces that look at various  ethnocentricities that exist in this space. It’s not just Afro-Trinbagonians that have issues, or whine about them. Speak to members of the Euro-descended community here and they have issues…very valid issues….they see themselves as the group that pioneered and developed this place and now are forgotten, marginalised, forced to exist on the peripheral of society, unable to step into the spotlight for fear of the ghosts of colonialism rearing its head because for the Afrocentrist Massa Day aint quite done. But I’ve not yet seen that column. I had hoped to see subsequent columns that would discuss how the real ethnic minorities here of the Amerindians, Chinese, Arabs, Portuguese feel about being in this space, contributing to its development and yet being entirely ignored when it comes to political and social contributions….in fact we only know about Amerindians when it comes to history books, and Arabs, Chinese and Portuguese are useful when we need contributions from the business community….riiiight? Trust me, there isn’t a group here that doesn’t have hurts that it is nursing and wants aired. Some groups air their hurts more so than others. And 50 years after Independence you keep wondering who cracking this invisible whip on us.

But the group I had hoped that this writer would deal with the most, because he “resemble”s them, are of course the Indians. In a society that seems even more bi-polar now than it was 50 years ago, Trinidad has made the shift from an Afro-Euro binary to an Afro-Indo binary that leaves the entire country (Tobago too) sucked into a vortex of racial and ethnic tension.

It would have been instructive for us to have explained for us what grievances the Indo-community have and to have the behaviour of their centrists explained. The complaints that come out of the Indian community are numerous, but it can usually be boiled down into on large complaint of having been marginalised and oppressed by the Afrotrinbagonian community. There is hardly ever any real discussion about the impact of colonialism on all of our post-Independence frameworks. Nor is there any acknowledgement that the status quo of race and ethnic hierarchisation has remain in place for forever and that despite things like Independence and post-colonialism we all still oppress each other, not because we should, but because we can. We also don’t acknowledge that the spirit of vengeance and retribution propels our politics. Williams sought to get back at white colonialists and made this fairly apparent in his Massa Day Done, speech; and the triumphalism of 1995′s “Indian Time Now” seems to be enjoying a second life under the People’s Partnership. And we seem uncomfortable in calling the triumphalism what it is…..ethnocentric to the point of racist. The impression given under Panday’s regime and now under Kamla is that Indians were kept away from the feeding trough and now must gorge themselves as much as possible to make up for their absence from the table. And the feeding frenzy goes on at the expense of the country’s development

I read a few posts from the Jahaji Desi group this morning and had to shake to my head. None of the posts, from people who I am sure will tell you they are patriots, focused on putting the country first….every single comment was geared to promoting friends and cronies and keeping the status quo and ideology of ethnic troughing ( over country) first. I read it and smiled.
Take a read of this contribution and formulate your own opinions. For my part, we really spinning top in mud in this place, oui. Ethnocentrism from all groups alive and well here. Trinidad going nowhere fast….De Vice Cyah Done:

Assalamu Alaikum
My Brothers and Sisters I greet you in the name of Allah, the beneficient, the most merciful.
 
As you all know, I only blog when I have sufficient and well founded information that is worthy of sharing to all. I start here and now with what may be an epic piece before the Hon Prime Minister shuffles her deck of cards.
 
From the moment of her announcement to now, there has been bets, thoughts, feelings, rumours and speculations of all sorts as to who will she move, who will be fired and whom shall she promote or demote as the case may be.
 
My friends, the information given to me is extremely disheartening, discouraging and demotivating for anyone who has placed their trust and confidence in the PP Government and by extension the Hon Prime Minister. I was today taken up within my Chambers doing an honest day’s work when I received several text messages and phone calls from persons known to me and the general public.
 
I must say that for the first time in a very long time, that I am extremely appalled and disappointed in the decisions coming out of this Cabinet Reshuffle. Restructuring or Reallignment. At the top of my friends’ concerns is that the Government continues to be hijacked and managed or lack thereof by the HINDU Oligarchy. The latest word is that the Prime Minister now feels sympathy for Minister Devant Maharaj and has now reconsidered her decision to remove him from her Government ever since his God Father Sat Maharaj called and begged for his “son”.
Devant Maharaj has done nothing for the Ministry of Transport but mismanaged, ill spent and over spent public funds. More over, there continues to be allegations, rumours and instances of his under handed behaviour, his under the table negotiations and his blatant racial attacks and victimisation of those who are not Hindu and not Indian.
 
Everyone knows that Minister Maharaj was trembling in his boots because the word was that he was first on the chopping block. Others have said that he should have nevber been made a Minister at first instance and that such a move was a disaster from the time it became an idea. Devant Maharaj has used none of his skills to develop the transportation network in Trinidad and Tobago, NOTHING  has been done to upgrade PTSC, under Devant Maharaj CARIBBEAN AIRLINES was mismanaged, and has come crucially close to being bankrupt and up to its head in debt. Such actions alone should have been grounds for Kamla Persad Bissessar to request a letter of resignation from him. There has been no road safety campaigns or initiatives under his watch and as a matter of fact, road fatalities increased drastically with him as Minister of Transport.
 
It is common knowledge that nobody outside of the Indian Hindu category or the “little boys club” was employed by this Minister and worst yet those recruited first had to pass through the new Oma Panday of Government; Kristal Ramroopsingh for approval and recommendation.
 
If the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is serious about proper Governance, Transparency and Accountability she would not yield to the bias, greedy, stagnant and hyprocritical cries for Devant Maharaj to remain as a Minister of her Government. She has a duty to listen to the ground and to be balanced in her decision making and choices and not allow her HINDU-Ness blur her thinking and conscious. not only does the population which consists of Non Hindus, Non Indians and Non Traditional Voters reject Devant Maharaj but also those that sit in both Houses of Parliament.
 
The second issue that must be raised is the impending appointment of Chandresh Sharma as Minister of Works and Infrastructure………WHAT A DISASTER!!!
It is Public Knowledge that very little or nothing has been done in Local Government since Chandresh Sharma became the Line Minister. The population seemed to have accepted this and was subtly comfortable with his appointment since in the absence of work and initiatives from the Line Minister, there was still work being done by the Corporations. The Hon Minister himself will tell you that while his colleagues are burning the midnight oil, he focusses on his sleep and also not a single person can get as much as a dime from him, so dont even bother to consider asking for a job or a contract.
 
The Local Government Minister, is already accused of being the 10% man, the man that gives his brothers and relatives all the contracts and work that can be shared and better yet hires his friends and those that he knows will guarantee a cut back. So therefore, why would a right thinking or perceived right thinking Prime Minister move the MOST COMPETENT Minister in Cabinet (Jack Warner) and replace him with a walking failure and fruad called Chandresh Sharma? A piece of advice for the Hon Prime Minister, unless you wish the PNM to make your Golden Boy Chand a target for the courts and Golden Grove, keep him out of trouble and corruption and leave him out of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure. Worst yet, if Minister Sharma enters the doors of MOWI, he would be before the courts charged with several corruption charges that not even Satya Sai Baba in his reincarnation could save him from.
JACK WARNER IS THE BEST MAN FOR THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
 
The third issue,  strengthen the Ministry of National Security by adding Herbert Volney as a second Minister in addition to his Minister of Justice portfolio. His years on the bench as a High Court Judge and his knowledge of the Law ALLOWS HIS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO USE HIS SKILLS to assist the Brigadier in the eradictation of every crimes and in bringing down the Homicide Rate. Done not be fooled into thinking that because Jack Warner is doing a great job in MOWI, that he will be able to do so in National Security, he is already  part of the National Security Council and he should serve there.  The Ministry of National Security needs great minds and with Volney and Sandy at the helm you should be able to get the job done.
 
Utilise Collin Partap in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, create a Ministry of Youth Affairs and make Stacy Roopnarine the line Minister, she did a great job while serving as Parliamentary Secretary, she will make you proud if given that Portfolio.
 
Continue to allow Verna St Rose and Ramona Ramdial to work in Gender and Child Development.
 
The Government lacks diversity, it is Hindu dominated and influnced and this does not auger well with the non Hindus. I am a Muslim Brother and I know. There are varying Christian sects represented by the Ministers and Senator that have been apppointed. There are a mere three token Muslims in the House of Representatives, Dr Fuad Khan, Nizam Baksh and Ms Nela Khan who does absolutely nothing for the Government. There is one token Muslim in the Senate, Minister Fazal Karim.
 
Prime Minister this is a blatant insult to the Muslim Community. You are an Indian woman, you should understand the struggles of our Forefather from the Motherland to these shaores. In those days there was no Pakistan, India and Bangladesh but just one great nation called India, where Muslims and Hindus lived together, side by side. Mahatma Gandhi’s greatest pain in all of his Political Struggles was witnessing the separation of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Do you wish to continue in this tradition of separation and segregation? You have already taken Devant Maharaj and his cohorts to do so, why cause yourself to be labelled a Muslim Hater.
 
There are two Maharaj’s in the Senate, none of them are an asset to the Government or the Senate. Where are the Ali’s, Khan’s, Hosein’s, Mohammed’s, Wahid’s???? Prime Minister, there is a need to change things up a bit and given other opportunities to the youth. There is no element of Youth represented in the Parliament with the exception of Roopnarine, Ramdial and Partap in the House of Representatives. Where are the young people in the Senate? Danny Maharaj is a disapointment in the Senate and to the People of Siparia< walk the ground and you shall hear for yourself. Kevin Ramnarine is 40years old, he may be young but he is not a youth.
 
Recently there was a temporary appointment of two Muslims to the Senate, Jamal Mohammed and Shane Mohammed, Jamal Mohammed may cause you some embarrassment in his speeches but then again what about the younger Mohammed, he has potential to make good contributions as he has done in the past both on the platform and in debating. There is also the young Arnold Ram, a National Executive Member, who also has great potential. The young people need to be given a chance and not just be used as window dressing, afterall they decided the outcome of the Last General Elections and moreso they stood by you in your quest for Leadership.
 
Prime Minister and those that are listening, these are my few words of caution and advice. I hope they are heeded since Trinidad and Tobago is looking on and anxiously awaiting the good news or the disappointments that they may have to decide on how they vote in the next election.
 
Choose Wisely Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.
 
I wish you Allah”s Choicest Blessings.
 
 
Inshah Allah
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