Tertiary Education Minister Fazal Karim has defended Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the People's Partnership government against charges of discrimination against the Muslim Community.
Businessman and talk show host Inshan Ishmael made the charge Tuesday in a media release in reaction to the firing of Fazeer Mohammed from state-owned CNMG.
Ishmael claimed that the action against the Muslim journalist was clear evidence of a trend of discrimination that he has seen since the new government took office.
"During the tenure of the PNM, the level of discrimination was unprecedented, we saw this especially against the Hindu community. With the lead of Sat Maharaj and others, issues reached as far as the Privy Council. Even though it is wrong one can understand why the Government opposed Sat because he supported the opposition," Ishmael said.
"What is different with our case is that the majority of Muslims are supporters of the People's Partnership and we are being discriminated against. That is frightening," he added.
Ishmael claimed that he has written to the Prime Minister on four different occasions about the matters of religious discrimination, noting that too few Muslims have been appointed to state boards.
Businessman and talk show host Inshan Ishmael made the charge Tuesday in a media release in reaction to the firing of Fazeer Mohammed from state-owned CNMG.
Ishmael claimed that the action against the Muslim journalist was clear evidence of a trend of discrimination that he has seen since the new government took office.
"During the tenure of the PNM, the level of discrimination was unprecedented, we saw this especially against the Hindu community. With the lead of Sat Maharaj and others, issues reached as far as the Privy Council. Even though it is wrong one can understand why the Government opposed Sat because he supported the opposition," Ishmael said.
"What is different with our case is that the majority of Muslims are supporters of the People's Partnership and we are being discriminated against. That is frightening," he added.
Ishmael claimed that he has written to the Prime Minister on four different occasions about the matters of religious discrimination, noting that too few Muslims have been appointed to state boards.
He also said the Prime Minister refused to visit any functions during the Ramadan period "even though an invitation was given and confirmed".
Karim told the Trinidad Express the Government has been "all-inclusive in everything it does" and pointed out that Ishmael and many other Muslims were present at an Eid dinner hosted by the Prime Minister at the Diplomatic Centre in September.
"I will categorically deny that there is any discrimination taking place. I am a Muslim, are you aware of that? Nizam Baksh is a Muslim, Nela Khan is a Muslim, so how could anybody say that Muslims are not represented?" he said.
Karim also addressed the issue of appointments to state boards, noting that there are many appointments to come. In any case he said there are many Muslims on the state boards that have been appointed.
The minister also pointed out that the Government arranged for the Saudi Arabian government to send two of its diplomatic officers to Trinidad and Tobago this year in order to issue visas for the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Roodal Moonilal also commented on the CNMG issue Tuesday, focusing on cost. He told reporters he is waiting to see what other cost-cutting measures state-owned CNMG will take.
“I have taken note of the change at CNMG and I understand that it was done as part of a wider programme of cost-cutting at the station and so I am looking to see what are the other measures that will be introduced," the Housing and Environment minister said.
He confirmed that Mohammed was replaced by Andy Johnson "who is very experienced in the field and he comes at no cost to the company". Johnson is head of the government information service, GISL.
Karim told the Trinidad Express the Government has been "all-inclusive in everything it does" and pointed out that Ishmael and many other Muslims were present at an Eid dinner hosted by the Prime Minister at the Diplomatic Centre in September.
"I will categorically deny that there is any discrimination taking place. I am a Muslim, are you aware of that? Nizam Baksh is a Muslim, Nela Khan is a Muslim, so how could anybody say that Muslims are not represented?" he said.
Karim also addressed the issue of appointments to state boards, noting that there are many appointments to come. In any case he said there are many Muslims on the state boards that have been appointed.
The minister also pointed out that the Government arranged for the Saudi Arabian government to send two of its diplomatic officers to Trinidad and Tobago this year in order to issue visas for the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Roodal Moonilal also commented on the CNMG issue Tuesday, focusing on cost. He told reporters he is waiting to see what other cost-cutting measures state-owned CNMG will take.
“I have taken note of the change at CNMG and I understand that it was done as part of a wider programme of cost-cutting at the station and so I am looking to see what are the other measures that will be introduced," the Housing and Environment minister said.
He confirmed that Mohammed was replaced by Andy Johnson "who is very experienced in the field and he comes at no cost to the company". Johnson is head of the government information service, GISL.
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