Jack Warner was angry in Parliament on Wednesday as he stood up to defend the People's Partnership government's record on ethnic issues, using statistics to knock down arguments raised by opposition leader Keith Rowley in his attempt to show that the new government is biased in favour of people of Indian origin.
The House of Representatives was debating a private motion brought by Rowley seeking to have the the House condemn former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Nizam Mohammed for stating that there was an imbalance in the police service.
Rowley went beyond that and accused the new government of a racial bias.
That incensed the MP for Chaguanas West, who is also the chairman of the United National Congress.
Warner was armed with statistics to counter Rowley's arguments. He spoke of the track record of the People's National Movement to demonstrate that the party has had an agenda that is contrary to what Rowley was trying to show.
He said:
Warner 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.
“What are you trying to prove? What are you trying to raise here...What more do you want? You want blood? Why are we here wasting time? Look at your team and see if you have any reasons to throw stones at anybody!” Warner stated.
He also brought out statistics to show the ethnic imbalance in PNM cabinets:
In the present cabinet, he noted 14 of the 26 members are Indians (53 per cent) and 12 Africans (47 percent).
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.
The House of Representatives was debating a private motion brought by Rowley seeking to have the the House condemn former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Nizam Mohammed for stating that there was an imbalance in the police service.
Rowley went beyond that and accused the new government of a racial bias.
That incensed the MP for Chaguanas West, who is also the chairman of the United National Congress.
Warner was armed with statistics to counter Rowley's arguments. He spoke of the track record of the People's National Movement to demonstrate that the party has had an agenda that is contrary to what Rowley was trying to show.
He said:
- In 30 years - 1956 to 1986 - the PNM had never had a Hindu in its Cabinet
- The PNM never had more than 2 Indians in its cabinet
- The new executive in the PNM does not have a single Hindu in it
- Accused San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning of recently using racial propaganda to cause racial tensions
- Recalled a policy approved by Rowley as Planning Minister advocating positive discrimination in favour of Afro- Trinidadian youths
- Noted that the Manning PNM administration denied the Maha Sabha a radio license which had to be warded only after the Privy Council ruled in favour of the Maha Sabha in a discrimination lawsuit
- Noted court cases that proved the PNM regime discriminated against Indians
- The PNM shut down Caroni (1975) Limited depriving 10,000 workers, mostly Indians, of a livelihood
Warner 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.
“What are you trying to prove? What are you trying to raise here...What more do you want? You want blood? Why are we here wasting time? Look at your team and see if you have any reasons to throw stones at anybody!” Warner stated.
He also brought out statistics to show the ethnic imbalance in PNM cabinets:
- Between 1956-57, of 13 persons in Cabinet two were East Indian - 16 per cent
- From 1957-58, of 14 Cabinet members two were Indians - 14 percent
- From 1958-59, of 13 two were Indian (15 percent)
- From 1959-1961 out of ten, two were Indian (20 per cent)
- From 1961-66 of 18 persons in Cabinet two were Indian (11 percent).
In the present cabinet, he noted 14 of the 26 members are Indians (53 per cent) and 12 Africans (47 percent).
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.
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