Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Racial Division Evident in Trinidad and Tobago

Its has become a recurring and common phenomenon for politicians to use Religious functions as a political firing range. Recently, our Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar made serious verbal attack on Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley at the closing of the Divali Nagar festivities which occupied the public conversation as having racial connotations. It was only days prior to that Minister of National Security Jack Warner found it apt to stay away from the opening of the said festival given that the Opposition Leader was present. 

This abusive behavioral and misuse of sacred functions is beyond abhorrent and abominable in its entirety.  Politicians must at length be condemned without fail for engaging in what can be seen as distasteful and unexemplary behavior. Politicians must be cognizant of their verbalizations, as such can bear fruits of hatred, segregation, and exclusion by color or race. 

Given the frequency of these occurances, one must ask the question whether this is a deliberate and calculated activity employed by  those of our leaders. Old politics employed the art of 'divide and rule' and what was seen on the platform of the Divali Nagar was nothing short of having racial overtones and remnants of the art "et impera and divide ut regnes which was utilized by the Roman ruler Caesar and the French emperor Napoleon".


"The Opposition Leader expressed shock, contempt and poured scorn on this sacred exercise in devotion.
"Today, a few short months later, that same person came kurta-clad to share in your festivities and admire your art forms.
"The same individual who rejected your values. Kamla said.

What was the message here?, Was it inclusion? What was the underlying motive/s of such statements?  Clearly it cannot be that light transcends darkness or that light draws all darkness away from its path. Clearly she must have known that her utterances were anti Hindu as Hinduism embraces at its  core  humility, tolerance, love and forgiveness even towards your enemy.

The Prime Minister must therefore refrain from making such colored statements, which at any time could insight racial antagonism. The Prime Minister must remain level minded in her attempt to score political points at all times. She must impress on the Nation that she is of sound character and as such represents the entire whole and not only a fraction of the whole. Thus, it is imperative that this foolish re-occurrence of Race and Racial overtones be discontinued by members within the PP Government and by extension all politicians.

Having therefore been condemned for lighting deyas with a "dark" and vindictive heart, and having been ridicule for seemingly asserting that Rowley should not wear traditional Indian garments and for implying that he should not be forgiven for statements about "kissing Foot" let her be reminded that her actions and statements must at all times foster and encourage our Anthem's line "Here every creed and race finds an equal place".


  

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