Opposition leader Basdeo Panday said in a media release Monday Government House leader Colm Imbert has provided proof that the People’s National Movement (PNM) government practices institutionalized discrimination.He was commenting on media reports attributed to Imbert who has made it clear that appointments to key positions in bodies like the National Emergency Ambulance Authority will go to its supporters, saying anyone who is opposed to the government could sabotage its work.
Imbert made the comments in reference to charges of discrimination made by Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh.
“So the Member for Caroni East would want us on this side to create an Authority and then populate that Authority with persons over whom the Government and the Minister has absolutely no control: your friends in the Medical Council?” Imbert saidn in Parliament last Friday.
“So that we are going to put persons from the Law Association, who just had that spurious vote of no-confidence in the Attorney-General, on the Ambulance Authority? We are going to put people from the Medical Council who forever are in opposition to the People’s National Movement Government? You think we are stupid? Why should we do that, Mr Speaker?"
He continued, “Why should we create an Ambulance Authority and then abandon their responsibility to the people of this country who elected us, abandon it, and out control of the Ambulance Authority in the hands of political activists and pseudo-politicians who populate these so-called professional organisations? You think we stupid?”
Imbert was adamant that only those who share the PNM's values would be appointed to such key positions. “We are not going to do that, Mr Speaker. That was before, that was yesterday. That ain’t happening again."
Imbert said when ministers have to deal with people "whose objective is to undermine and sabotage the work of the Government" because they don’t support the Government things go wrong for which ministers get blamed.
“When a problem occurs, the politician, the members of Government, have to take complete responsibility”, he said.
Panday said that is an admission "that the government practices institutionalized political discrimination. He is clearly saying in no uncertain terms that no matter how qualified a person is for a position, they will not be appointed to any positions of authority if they are not supporters of the PNM."
The former prime minister added that it means that a PNM party card is a pre-requisite for government jobs and appointments.
"That is political discrimination," he declared, adding that people who do not support the PNM "have been complaining for decades that they are by-passed for appointment and for promotion."
Panday noted that the government has been taken to court on several times occasions in cases of alleged discrimination or victimization by "people who do not support them and the PNM has not won a single case.”
Related: Court rules against PM Manning...
Read the story: Gopeesingh stands by ethnic cleansing charges...
Read the commentary: T&T has no room for discrimination
No comments:
Post a Comment