Gopeesingh to face Parliamentary censure over "ethnic cleansing" remarks

The Speaker of the House of Representatives on Friday ordered Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament his remaks in the House on July 17, accusing the government of Trinidad and Tobago practices ethnic cleansing at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Gopeesingh raised the issue during his contribution to a debate on the proposed establishment of an Ambulance Authority in Trinidad and Tobago.

“I am raising a very important point. I am being told—some may not like it and I do not know whether it is true—that there has been an issue of ethnic cleansing at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital as far as the doctors are concerned.

"I understand that most of the East Indian doctors have had to leave the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. I understand that the Port-of-Spain General Hospital is a virtual African hospital now," Gopeesingh said.

Read the story: Gopeesingh stands by "ethnic cleansing"...
Related: Dr Gopeesingh explains his "ethnic cleansing" position

Barendra Sinanan made the ruling on the basis of a matter of privilege against Gopeesingh brought by Public Administration Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh raisedin Parliament on July 22.

Sinanan told members a prima facie case has been made out against Gopeesingh for his “ethnic cleansing” statement, saying the MP "knew or ought to have known that his statement about ethnic cleansing at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital was obviously extreme and unfortunate.”

He added, "The member’s failure to apologise for his recklessness, in the face of irrefutable evidence that his statement was incorrect, has brought this House into odium and ridicule."

The speaker said an apology would have been decent and honourable.