Why leave out Charch?

A recent letter to media editors questioning why a man of the stature of Kamaluddin Mohammed was denied a national award prompted the Sunday Express to visit the former cabinet minister and founding member of the People's National Movement (PNM) at his home in Mohammedville, San Juan.

The letter from his nephew, Jamal, suggested that few men in Trinidad and Tobago have had such a distinguished career of serving the nation politically and culturally for decades.

The Express said its visit to the man fondly known to all as Charch confirmed that there were more important things in Kamal's life that receiving a national award.

The Express wrote: "There in his study where myriad citations, awards and honours decorate the walls and shelves, and sit on almost every flat surface, sharing space with his most treasured gifts-copies of the Holy Qur'an in almost every major language of the world, I asked Mohammed:

"How would you like to be remembered, what would you want?"

"I just want to go and sleep!" he answered promptly.

Read the Express story by Yvonne Teelucksingh
Read the Kevin Baldeosingh column: Dumas: Awards are politically driven

In a speech on Indpendence day, Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner said:

"In a country where every creed and race is supposed to find an equal place, there is mass discrimination, mass inequity and inequality in the celebration of our sons and daughters.

"In a country where East Indians are the predominant race, children of East Indian descent have failed to attract the attention of Governments for contributions made to this society. And this includes even the UNC when they were in power.

"Less than fifteen percent of East Indian sons and daughters of our soil have received the top accolades in a country where racial equality is supposed to be the precursor to the blessings we receive as a nation. This year will be no different.

"In fact this year is worse when you consider that one of our distinguished Indian sons of the soil, Kamalauddin Mohammed has been denied a national award because of the vindictiveness of one man.

"He was denied an award by the same man at the PNM 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2006. But that, as wrong as it was, was a Party affair.

"Today's rejection of Kamal is a national affair. And so tonight, I say to all of you that this function is being organised in honour of Kamalauddin Mohammed, a man who spent some 56 years of his life dedicated to the service of the people of this country but I will do more than that.

"I will meet with the family and relatives of Kamal as well as some elders of the Muslim faith to discuss and come up with a proposal fitting to honour Kamal. This will be done immediately.

"In the meantime, in this month of Ramadan, I want to advise Kamal that to be honored by a mere man is insignificant. True recognition comes only from the Supreme Being.

"It is therefore my hope that Charch remains in good health and that his holy month of Ramadan is filled with Divine blessings for him and all the members of his family."

This blog paid tribute to Charch last year when he was honoured by GOPIO, the Global Organization for People of Indian Origin.

Read the tribute: GOPIO honours Kamaluddin Mohammed