The opposition People's National Movement (PNM) is walking down a dangerous road in trying to divide the country on the basis of ethnicity.
Their allies in the international community are telling people that the People's Partnership government is racist in favour of people of Indian ancestry. And in its campaign for the Tobago House of Assembly election the PNM is telling supporters that if they don't re-elect the PNM Indians would take over the island.
"It cannot be right where any political party in the lead-up to any election circulates a questionnaire, on of the questions thereon — would you be comfortable being led by an Indian Prime Minister?
"Those things are not accidents. Those things are deliberate and they are designed to excite a certain passion and a certain fear..."
Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning is on record as saying the reason why his first administration (1991-95) fell was because he didn't do enough for "my people". In his second term, he vowed to change that.
Keith Rowley chastised Manning for denying that the cabinet had approved a plan to give scholarships to young black males in preference to other citizens.
The records show that the PNM, by its history, does not represent a wide enough cross section of the population. History shows that it has alienated and marginalized half of the population of Trinidad and Tobago.
And the PNM has a history of discrimination against persons of Indian descent, particularly Hindus. The "recalcitrant minority" that Eric Williams denounced in 1958 were the Hindu supporters of Bhadase Maraj and the Democratic Labour Party.
Here is what Jack Warner said in October about the PNM records: "For 30 years, not a single Hindu sat in the PNM Cabinet. This is a fact. Past PNM Cabinets had a ceiling of 15 to 25 per cent of East Indians. This is a fact.
"Similarly, PNM State Boards had only 21 per cent East Indians. This is a fact. Since 1962 there has not been a single Attorney General under the PNM of East Indian heritage. This is a fact. The PNM distributed $53 million in scholarships and only 10 per cent of recipients were of East Indian origin. This is a fact.
"The PNM also waged a relentless campaign against East Indians in this country; the Maha Sabha was denied a radio license for 10 years while Louis Lee Sing received his in 48 hours.
And the PNM has a history of discrimination against persons of Indian descent, particularly Hindus. The "recalcitrant minority" that Eric Williams denounced in 1958 were the Hindu supporters of Bhadase Maraj and the Democratic Labour Party.
Here is what Jack Warner said in October about the PNM records: "For 30 years, not a single Hindu sat in the PNM Cabinet. This is a fact. Past PNM Cabinets had a ceiling of 15 to 25 per cent of East Indians. This is a fact.
"Similarly, PNM State Boards had only 21 per cent East Indians. This is a fact. Since 1962 there has not been a single Attorney General under the PNM of East Indian heritage. This is a fact. The PNM distributed $53 million in scholarships and only 10 per cent of recipients were of East Indian origin. This is a fact.
"The PNM also waged a relentless campaign against East Indians in this country; the Maha Sabha was denied a radio license for 10 years while Louis Lee Sing received his in 48 hours.
"East Indians in the public service and State Enterprises such as Feroza Ramjohn, Ganga Persad Kissoon and Devant Maharaj were discriminated against; over 10,000 families were plunged into hardship when the PNM closed down Caroni Limited, and the PNM, through its agents, pursues a racist agenda on certain radio programmes. All of these are facts.
"The PNM is presently conducting its campaign in Tobago for the Tobago House of Assembly Elections using scare-tactics of “Indian-phobia”. This is a fact.
"I call on those who are offended by these statements to disprove them with hard data. They can start by naming any PNM Attorney General of East Indian origin since 1962."
Can the PNM deny these FACTS?
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