By Raffique Shah
September 21, 2015
Last week, at the opening of the new law term, two main speeches were delivered.
The first was a feature address by former President of the Republic and principal of the UWI St Augustine campus, Professor Max Richards. The second was the customary speech by the Chief Justice, a kind of state-of-the-Judiciary report which, I submit, is a veritable regurgitation of judicial woes that can be re-read year after year with only minor changes to the text.
In all that was said by these two eminent men, speeches that identified a wide range of issues that impact the society as a whole, the media, and through it every Tom, Dick and Beharrylal, pounced on two sentences in Max’s speech, tearing apart the ex-President for not knowing the difference between Debe and Penal, and for suggesting that the new UWI campus was difficult to access.
I agree that Max’s point about the accessibility of the Debe campus was inconsiderate. He ought to have known that the extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway makes Debe easier to access than St Augustine, and be mindful of the reality that 50 percent or more of the students who attend the local university live in Cemtral and South Trinidad.
In fact, even without the highway, and given that traffic jams are a daily feature on roads everywhere in the country, only the extremities of Trinidad-Toco, Mayaro and Cedros/Icacos-can be described as difficult to access.
So staff and students, having choices between St Augustine and Debe, or, for that matter, many of the UTT centres and campuses across the country, cannot complain about location. And if they did (to Max), he should have dismissed their concerns.
That said, it is incomprehensible how a geographical error and an academic dissention (I agree with him that the new campus should not be solely a law faculty, if that is in fact intended) exploded into the already agitated racial-ants-nest as Max and those of his ilk being against “everything south of the Caroni river”.
It seems that in the aftermath of the general election, racial sensitivities have become all-pervasive, one stupid statement landed Max on top of the anthill.
No one has bothered to ask where Mrs Jean Ramjohn-Richards stands in the midst of the madness.
Nor, indeed, has there been any sober discussion on some other points he made. There is a perception that the UWI has sacrificed some of its independence on the altar of political expediency. In my view, this decline, and that of the academic and student bodies as informed contributors to debates on important national issues, began from as far back as when Max was principal, certainly after the events of 1970.
And while I am not qualified to question the quality of the thousands of graduates churned out of that paper mill every year, I hear people who are better positioned complain about declining standards.
There are also concerns about the prime focuses of the university curricula in the face of the ever-evolving jobs market and the needs of the nation, what with taxpayers funding free tertiary education and meeting staff salaries as well.
There is so much to discuss based on issues raised by the ex-President, yet all we cantankerous plebes can do is reduce the discussion to the lowest common denominator-race.
Chief Justice Ivor Archie also regurgitated (not meant to be offensive) some pertinent issues that both citizens and government need to address if the judicial factor in the wild crime equation is to help deliver us from the evil that is strangling the society.
He lamented low crime detection rates, inadequate evidence when matters come before the courts, and slow forensic analysis, all of which are outside the control of the judiciary.
Of interventions that can help, but which require support from the country’s legislators, eliminating preliminary enquires and jury trials top the list. These are fundamental to our judicial system, as is final appeal to the Privy Council instead of the Caribbean Court of Justice.
If, however, we choose hold on to the vestiges of a colonialism that is long dead, we cannot point fingers at judicial officers who face mountainous obstacles in the form of thousands of cases, some so petty, they are funny, to attorneys who master the craft of never-ending litigation and trials that enrich them, to an un-implementable death penalty that must be the biggest joke on Death Row.
The CJ calls for “a little common sense” to prevail in matters such as restorative incarceration (to reduce recidivism), clogging the system with petty matters (two joints), and so on.
I hope they heed his call.
For me, I see a society in which dollars dictate sense, hence the reason we remain mired in manure that’s suffocating us.
I do not expect much from this CJ as he is a blind man. Too much crap is going on in all the courts around him. He was never able for this job. manning pushed for him with the Sharma affair and now Rowley must clean up the mess of the current Judioiary of suck up PNM lawyers and crooked UNC lawyers. When a foreign can walk in to T&T and commit perjury and the lawyers and Judge look the other way then we have serious problems wrt Justice in T&T. Do you know of anywhere in our history where a crooked judge or lawyer make a jail?
One day our messages of truth will be documented. I suppose when we are dead and gone like Gene Miles and Thelma Haines (Boyse Singh). However the truth always comes to the surface. The donkey always get to bray at some point in time. Nevertheless the little people of this world will always get a beating so that the rich and famous can do what they want. This is Capitalism NOT Democracy. But then God says …enough is enough and change comes but then again the more things change the more they remain the same like the racism in the USA and UK. The killings in T&T are now well over 300 and this is indeed very disturbing. And as always our people would ask all the time and every time…Why or pourquoi but when I say parce que….it opens a can of worms. Yet the CJ sits down on his throne and says the same bilge chacque annee and we suppose to say thank you and clap. He does NOTHING to stem the tide of the crimes be it white collar or blue collar and of course he lives like a KING with all the trappings one can want in this life, of course paid for by “we”. And of course with his independence he reports to no one, accountable for nothing just like we President. What a huge farce? And of course our beloved President is no different. And of course the Prime Minister will continue the fight with the Opposition Leader and “dem” lawyers will make a killing off our sweat and tears lottery tax dollars as usual and after another five years we the lowered middle class and the poor will be one and same. And pushed well back against a wall. But then there is hope in Francis. Pope Francis is seemingly our only hope. In the arrogant and exploitive USA he is like a hero now …but then they and God are complete strangers. What an ironic situation? For war is their greatest business. But back to T&T, Shah I agree with most of your rantings on this topic but the Judiciary is not separate from the Parliament as politics is soundly embeded in both institutions. As they say ” we like it so ” and of course the “they” are the filthy rich so that they can do as they want 24/7. Now in T&T with the pull string (so called net working mentality where jobs are hidden) mentality we are spending tax monies to educate our unfortunate young and under working them. Hence most of them are leaving with no promise to return. Pourqui so that foreigners and the filthy untouchable rich camourflaged by illegal money laundering activities can prosper and control ANY government that comes into power. And of course the CJ and his bunch knows this only too well. But you cannot expect the honourable thing from him can you? He will milk the cow until the cow is unmilkable. Or perhaps until God says nuff is nuff. I do hope Miss K stays in opposition though, although she really belong on the Calcutta container ship.
WHEW! My computer was almost destroyed by “hackers”..Yesterday (23rd Sept) I found out that there is a “new” administration.For almost two months I visited a few technicians until someone “rectified” the problem.
In the process I have “lost” about “seven years” of documents and e-mails….My current e-mail is changed.HECK! I missed all the election gossip etc…..
Congratulations to the new administration…Cheers!!
This is an exact copy of comments supplied to the blog by TMan on November 1, 2014. In view of the conversation that is presently on display, I would recommend a must read for Alyssa and Yoruba etal:
TMan
November 1, 2014 at 12:09 am
Human Rights Report.
Introduction
In 2010, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is of Indian and Hindu descent, became Trinidad and Tobago’s first female Prime Minister. She heads the People’s Partnership (PP), a five-party coalition that came to power in May 2010 after defeating Patrick Manning and the People’s National Movement (PNM). In the 2010 elections, the People’s Partnership won 29 seats and the PNM 12. During the PNM regime Trinidad and Tobago experienced high rates of crime and public corruption.
The PNM had previousloy ruled the country for five decades and drew its main base of support from citizens of African origin. Upon coming into office, the new Prime Minister declared that she would make the country a successful multicultural society. And Bissessar has endeavored to create an inclusive government with representation from all ethnic and religious groups, as her cabinet includes a number of ethnic Afro-Caribbean ministers. In contrast, the prior ruling PNM had largely marginalized Hindus and Indians from positions in the government. Moreover, Bissessar’s People’s Partnership won the elections by attracting voters from across the ethnic and racial divide.
Under previous governments, citizens of Indian and Hindu descent faced widespread discrimination, economic and political marginalization, and were disproportionately targeted for physical violence and harassment. In July 2009, opposition Member of Parliament, Tim Gopeesingh, accussed the PNM government of carrying out a policy of political discrimination, that was specifically targeting Indo-Trinidadians. Similarly, the Indo-Trinbago Equality Councl (ITEC) claimed that there was systematic discrimination against Indo-Trinidadians in the areas of nursing, state housing, military, police, public service, and elsewhere. According to Devant Maharaj of the ITEC, the only field where Indo-Trinidadians were overrepresented was in the medical profession (as doctors) because the field was based on merit and education.
A recent report further supports the contention that Indo-Trinidadians were underrepresented in most professions and government positions, despite comprising nearly 40% of the population. The report traces the unequal rates of employment opportunities and representation in various areas over several years. It refers to a study from 1970 that showed that: “[O]f the 100 employees of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, 84 were Afro-Trinidadians, 10 were Indo-Trinidadians, 3 were of Chinese descent, 2 were of Portuguese descent, and 1 was white.” This unequal employment situation was further evident in 1989, when statistics showed that of the total number of persons employed in all government organizations, 29% were Indo-Trinidadians. In the police force, Regiment of the Defense Force, Coast Guard, and Port Authority, respectively, the percentage of Indo-Trinidadians was 25%, 5%, 16%, and 6% respectively. At that time, census data indicated that Indo-Trinidadians made up 40.3% of the country’s population, while Afro-Trinidadians comprised 39.6%, thereby demonstrating the wide disparities. The report further found that Indo-Trinidadians reached and surpassed the equity ratio in the areas of medicine and finance, “but that the criteria for employment and advancement in these two areas was clearly technical skill,” supporting the claims of the ITEC.
There was also pervasive racial tension between the Indian and Afro-Carribean communities. Moreover, Hindus faced restrictions on religious freedom, state preference for Christianity, and inequitable funding of religious activities in comparison to Christians. As an example of the previous government’s institutionalized preference for Christianity, former High Court judge Herbert Volney reportedly claimed that a judge “must know [his] benediction and must be known for [his] piety,” in order to ascend to the Court of Appeal. Incidentally, Judge Volney is now the Minister of Justice in the Bissessar Cabinet.
Consequently, the election of Bissessar brought optimism and hope for the ethnic Indian and Hindu communities and expectations of a new socio-cultural-political dynamic. In a symbolic and significant gesture, the new leadership gave TT $1 million for the celebration of the Hindu festival, Diwali, which costs nearly TT $15 million. On the other hand, the previous PNM government had provided only TT $10,000. As the new Attorney General Anand Ramlogan stated: “People think of Trinidad as a predominantly African country…We want to rectify this mis-perception. The majority is of Indian descent.” Previously there was “discrimination manifest in subtle ways,” he said, one of which was the allocation of state funding.
However, the new Prime Minister must also ensure that in redressing previous grievances, her government does not discriminate against non-Indians and/or non-Hindus. Thus far, it appears that Bissessar has not shown state preference for Indians and Hindus and has created an inclusive government.
Nonetheless, there still remains a high level of mistrust and mutual suspicion between the Indian/Hindu and Afro-Carribean communities. For example, a recent article by Professor Selwyn Cudjoe, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s well-known writers, seems to reflect the continued ambivalence, if not outright hostitility to the citizens of Indian descent in the country. In the article, entitled “Hindu ethics and morality,” Cudjoe questions Hindu morality and ethics itself and effectively instigates ethnic Africans against Indians/Hindus. He writes: “Speak to any non-Indian in Trinidad and Tobago and one is asked the same question: What dese Indians want? It may be an unfair question, a paranoid response, or just the reflection of feelings of anxiety. Yet, there lingers in the minds of many non-Indians that there can be no pleasing Indians in Trinidad and Tobago. Do they yearn for equality or do they seek dominance?”
Similarly, at the Emancipation Day dinner in 2009, acknowledging the arrival and slavery of people of African descent, Professor Cudjoe warned of “turbulent times” for people of African origin “because they are now a minority in this country… If ethnic trends in voting continue, it is likely that in the next ten years we might see that same pattern that has emerged in Guyana in which the dominant group will hold power in perpetuity.” And in 2006, he claimed, “[A]ll the turmoil that we see in our society today not only represents a relentless struggle on the part of the East Indians to dominate the society; it also suggests that the agents of their group are prepared to utilise any means—be they legal, political, academic or religious—to achieve ethnic dominance.” Professor Cudjoe’s inflammatory rhetoric continues to exacerbate tensions between Trinidad and Tobago’s two largest communities and ignores the widespread discrimination ethnic Indians and Hindus have encountered for several decades.
After the PP’s election in 2010, there have been indications that the country is still plagued by violent crime, with accusations of corruption, and the mishandling of certain top government appointments. In August 2011, Bissessar declared a state of emergency in an attempt to deal with the surge in violent gang-related activity. In the two months after the emergency was declared, more than 7,000 people were arrested, and large quantities of drugs and weapons were seized. Subsequently, in November, Bissessar alleged that the police had thwarted an assassination attempt on her and members of her cabinet by “criminal elements” in an apparent reprisal against her Government’s declaration of a state of emergency.
History/Background
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean. The country consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and 21 smaller islands. Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the main islands; Tobago is much smaller, comprising about 6% of the total area and 4% of the population.
Originally settled by Amerindians of South American origin at least 7,000 years ago, Trinidad and Tobago was occupied by Arawakan-speaking and Cariban-speaking peoples at the time of European contact in 1498. A history of slavery and indentured labor has left the country with a population of African, Indian, European, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and mixed-race descent. All these groups have left a significant impact on the country’s national culture.
Britain consolidated its hold on both islands during the Napoleonic Wars and combined them into the colony of Trinidad and Tobago in 1899. As a result of these colonial struggles, Amerindian, Spanish, French, and English influence are all common in the country. Subsequently, African slaves and Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and free African indentured laborers arrived to supply labor in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Emigration from Barbados and Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Syria, and Lebanon also affected the ethnic makeup of the country. Trinidad and Tobago elected for independence in 1962. And in 1976, the country severed its links with the British monarchy and became a republic within the Commonwealth.
Trinidad and Tobago is a democratic republic. The Head of State is the President and the Head of Government is the Prime Minister. The President is elected by an electoral college consisting of the full membership of both houses of Parliament, while the Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
Political parties are generally divided along ethnic lines, with the People’s National Movement (PNM) supported primarily by Africans and the United National Congress (UNC) drawing its constituency largely from Indians. In the recent past, there have been three elections in three years contested by these two main, ethnic-based parties. However, support for political parties is not completely polarized along racial lines. In the most recent elections, for example, the PNM fielded Indian candidates for election, while the main financial benefactor of the UNC is an Afro-Trinidadian. The PNM has dominated politics in Trinidad and Tobago for much of the country’s post independence history.
Dr. Eric Williams, the country’s first Prime Minister and a member of the PNM, referred to Indians as the “recalcitrant minority.” The racial and religious animosity between ethnic Africans (primarily Christian) and Indo-Carribeans (mostly Hindu) was exacerbated over the years and manifested particularly in the media and government. Prominent Hindu leader and Secretary General of the Hindu Maha Sabha, Satnarayan Maharaj, stated in 2006: “This year marks 50 years since Trinidad and Tobago attained the right to internal self-government (1956-2006). Out of this 50-year period an Indian-based political party held power for six years. The People’s National Movement (PNM) ruled for 30 consecutive years without appointing a single Hindu as a government minister. The cry of rural neglect, alienation, marginalization and discrimination affected the political psychology of Indians as they lost hope of ever winning a general election.”
Maharaj goes on to point out that despite the PNM being in political office since 1956, Afro-Trinidadians continued to agitate for affirmative action and preferential treatment.
Furthermore, according to the book, The Indian Struggle for Justice and Equality against Black Racism in Trinidad and Tobago (1956-1962), “The 1956 election was won by the PNM headed by Eric Williams on the institution of a resurgent Negro nationalism. Since then, Indians in Trinidad have been subjected to all sorts of humiliations, degradation and ignominy by PNM racialism.”
Status of Human Rights, 2011
In the past, Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago faced a multitude of human rights issues, including physical attacks, temple desecration, economic/political discrimination, and the inequitable distribution of government funds. Although conditions are starting to improve under the Bissessar government, Hindus and ethnic Indians continue to confront a number of challenges.
Moreover, during 2011, the country continued to experience a high rate of crime. According to a UN report, Trinidad and Tobago had the second highest crime rate in the region, after Jamaica. One out of every two persons living in Trinidad and Tobago is fearful of being victimized of violent crime. There were 354 murders committed in 2011, down 27% from the 485 murders recorded the previous year. In addition, there were 3,891 burglaries and break-ins reported, for a monthly average of nearly 325 incidents. And the number of kidnappings during the year was 101.
Religious Freedom
The Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago guarantees equal protection under the law and freedom of religion for all citizens. Furthermore, religious groups possess the same rights and obligations as most legal entities, can own land, and hire employees. The Government subsidizes both public and religiously affiliated schools. It also permits religious instruction in public schools, setting aside a time each week when any religious organization with an adherent in the school can provide an instructor. Attendance at these classes is voluntary and the religious groups represented are diverse. Parents may enroll their children in private schools for religious reasons. As a result, there are thriving Hindu, Muslim, and Christian schools. The Government has also established public holidays for every religious group with a large following. In addition, the Government grants financial and technical assistance to various organizations to support religious festivals and celebrations, including Indian Arrival Day. The level of state funding for such activities, however, has been inequitable in the past and generally favored Christian groups.
Although Hindus were underrepresented in government positions in the past, under the current government, there are Ministers, Members of Parliament, and public figures representing every religious group and denomination and the broad spectrum of religious beliefs in the country. The government also supports the activities of the Inter-Religious Organization (IRO), an interfaith coordinating committee for public outreach, governmental and media relations, and policy implementation. And it provides the prayer leader for several official events, such as the opening of Parliament and the annual court term.
In response to wariness over past colonial experiences, the government limits the number of foreign missionaries allowed in the country to 30 per denomination at any given time. Moreover, missionaries must meet strict entry standards and cannot remain in the country for more than three years per visit. Additionally, there were no reports of forced religious conversions in the island nation.
Temples/Festivals
There are over 300 Hindu temples in Trinidad and Tobago. No incidents of vandalism and desecration of Hindu temples were recorded in 2011. The following section, therefore, provides recent examples of discrimination towards Hindu festivals, religious practices, and places of worship.
In May 2009, students of a nondenominational public school in south Trinidad participated in a voluntary Hindu prayer service. The students planted symbolic flags on the school grounds appealing for success in their examinations. The Ministry of Education ordered school authorities to remove the flags. The decision of the Ministry offended some students and teachers, who belive their individual religious rights were violated and declared that they would boycott classes and stand guard around the symbolic prayer flags. The school principal eventually removed the flags. More than half of the school’s 1,500 student body is Hindu.
On August 8, 2008, a prominent Hindu temple in Cunupia, a town in central Trinidad, was vandalized and images of sacred Hindu deities were desecrated. There was also a similar incident in 2007 at a different Hindu temple in central Trinidad.
Although there are several Hindu temples in Trinidad, Hindu temples were non-existent on the small island of Tobago. Until recently, the Tobago House of Assembly refused to allow the Hindu community to construct a mandir (temple) on land purchased on the island. The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) had sought to build a temple in the Carnbee area, where they owned lands, but the Assembly declared that temple construction is prohibited in residential areas. SDMS, however, noted that there was a Christian Church approximately 150 feet away from the land it wanted to build on. They also pointed out that in other residential areas, such as Bethany and Four Roads Bon Accord, churches had been recently built.
In addition, while refusing to fund a kirtan (Hindu religious concert) on the island, churches on Tobago were funded and the Assembly promoted a Christian gospel concert. Complaints from the Hindu community regarding the overt religious prejudice by the Assembly members had little immediate impact on the Tobago House of Assembly’s discriminatory policies. After a five-year struggle, the first Hindu mandir in Tobago finally began construction in the summer of 2007, with a $250,000 grant from the National Commission for Self Help Limited (NCSH)
Hindus have also faced challenges with religious festivals, including yearly Diwali celebrations and the annual Ramleela (religious performance in honor of revered Lord Rama). The largest Diwali celebrations are held each year at the Diwali Nagar, Chaguanas, in Trinidad. This event has grown from a modest affair to an international fixture in the Hindu calendar, attracting Hindus from around the world. Each night, over a 14-day period, thousands of Hindus and non-Hindus congregate at this famous location to enjoy and participate in pujas (sacred rituals), concerts, art, craft and social activities. In 2006 and 2007, however, the police refused to provide additional security unless they were paid. During the first few nights when the police stayed away, several vehicles were stolen and vandalized. It was only after protests by Hindus that security was increased.
Furthermore, in the past, Ramleela festivities were targets of violence. For example, in 2005, vandals desecrated religious items and destroyed tents, props, and fences used in Ramleela celebrations, as well as the sacred jhandi (flag to mark the completion of puja or worship ceremony) at McBean Village, Couva. Consequently, many Hindus were fearful of attending the celebrations at McBean.
In several other parts of country, Hindus have even been prevented from holding Diwali and Ramleela celebrations. Recently, the head of the Sugarcane Feeds Centre refused permission for workers to hold their annual Diwali celebrations. And in another instance, Hindu police officers were prohibited from celebrating Diwali at their workplaces in South Trinidad.
Religious discrimination against Hindus has also been an issue in the educational system. Although Hinduism is the second largest religion in Trinidad and Tobago, there were no sixth-form Hindu secondary schools to prepare students for university, while there were eighteen Christian and two Muslim sixth-form facilities. Moreover, an Indian community leader recently alleged, “Certain denominational schools are forcing all students to study the religion of the school, without introducing the appropriate religious instruction for students of other religions…The Ministry of Education needs to correct these discriminatory practices, especially in the denominational school.”
Furthermore, in many primary and secondary schools and colleges, the religious rights of Hindu students were violated by preventing them from wearing Hindu clothing, rakshas (protective amulet), and other symbols. For instance, in March 2008, Hindu high school students were prohibited from wearing the raksha, “a Hindu religious symbol consisting of a colored string worn on the wrist during the performance of sacred rituals and removed within seven days after the prayers,” and were forced to remove them by school security guards. The Ministry of Education later apologized to the students.
And in October 2006, an Anglican School in Fyzabad, South Trinidad withdrew permission previously granted to students for celebrating Diwali, despite it being a national holiday. Students were also banned from wearing rakshas.
General Violence
Violence directed against Indians and Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago is not uncommon. Indians and Hindus have been subjected to verbal and physical assaults by mobs of non-Indians from neighboring villages and from the northern urban areas of Trinidad where the population is predominantly African. For example, the Hindus of Felicity were recently attacked by Afro-Trinidadians from the adjacent village of Boot Hill. The Hindu residents of Felicity were unable to commute to work and schools after Afro-Trinidadians from Boot Hill blocked the main road with piles of burning debris and broken bottles.
Institutional Discrimination
Institutional discrimination against Hindus and Indians in Trinidad and Tobago was rampant until recently and included economic/political discrimination, inequitable distribution of government funds, and prejudice in the education system.
According to one observer, the “Indo-Trinidadian community is witnessing a ‘shock and awe’ programme with this state-sanctioned policy that directs significant state resources to one ethnic group at the exclusion of other groups. The lowering of qualifications for state employment, house padding, the establishment of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the elevation of criminal elements to community leaders…are all examples of the programme conceived to push the Indian out of the space that is shared in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Despite comprising approximately 40% of the population, inhabitants of Indian descent were severely underrepresented in government sectors jobs, including the Protective Services, the Civil Service, State Companies, Statutory Boards and Commission, the High Commissions and Diplomatic Missions, the Central Bank and Board, and executive membership at decision-making levels of the State. This began to slowly change after 2002.
One report found that Indians were “heavily under-represented, except in areas where merit and technical criteria must prevail, as in the judicial and professional sectors, where Indians were more than adequately represented.” For instance, prior data from the Service Commissions Department indicated that there are only 18 Indians serving as department heads in the nation, compared to 87 non-Indians, and there are no Indians on the executive of the police service or army.
Additionally, in the Promotional and Advisory Board of the Police, the five members of the promotion board are all of African descent, which in turn affects the promotional prospects of Indians. Moreover, none of the ten Assistant Commissioners of Police or three Deputy Commissioners are of Indian origin. When Nizam Mohammed, a Muslim of Indian descent and chairman of the Police Commission, pointed out these inequities, he was effectively forced out of his position by the People’s Partnership government for fear of losing the support of the Afro-Trinidadian community.
Similarly, Police Captain Gary Griffith, commenting on the imbalance in the police and security forces stated, “The Police Service should reflect the ethnic composition of the society that they are assigned to protect and serve. There have also been numerous reports of East Indians being rejected by our Defence Force and then reapplying to other foreign armed forces and excelling by leaps and bounds, which means a loss of talent to our nation because of poor selection processes.” As a result of his critical comments, Griffith was compelled to leave his position, just as Nizam Mohammed was. Discrimination against Indians in the police and security services of the country has persisted, despite the election of the Bissessar government.
In addition to prejudice in the police and security forces, Hindus and Indians have confronted bias in employment opportunities. For instance, High Court judge Maureen Rajnauth Lee recently found that the Education Ministry had discriminated against two Hindu-Indian teachers, Vijesh Mahadeo and Vashti Maharaj, in wrongfully denying them teaching positions. The Education Ministry did not even come to court to challenge the case against them.
Hindus have also encountered challenges in obtaininig business licenses. For example, a the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of Trinidad and Tobago (SDMS) was forced to fight a seven year long legal battle to finally acquire a broadcast license for a Hindu radio station, Radio Jaagriti, on 102.7FM. SDMS originally initiated their application in 1999, but the government consistently refused to award the organization a radio license for seven years, while granting another group a radio frequency for its station. On July 4, 2006, SDMS was victorious in its appeal to the Privy Council. In a landmark 19-page judgment, Lord Justice Mance said, that “in light of the exceptional circumstances” of the case, the Privy Council would order Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General John Jeremie to do all that is necessary to ensure that a license is issued forthwith to the Hindu organization. The State was also ordered to pay SDMS’s legal costs for all court proceedings. In September 2009, the decade old discrimination case ended with an award to the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of almost $3 million. The compensation was ordered in a September 22 order by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, who said, “What this case showed was discrimination, plain and simple.”
Citizens of Hindu and Indian origin were further discriminated against by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the distribution of service awards. Moreover, the highest award for public service, formerly known as the “Trinity Cross,” was “perceived as a manifestation or symptom of what was, in substance if not form, a Christian state that tolerated non-Christians. It was a powerful psychological reminder of the fact that [Hindus] were merely ‘tolerated.’”
The Maha Saba, a Hindu organization, along with a Muslim group, instituted legal action against the State regarding the use of the title “Trinity Cross.” In reference to the case, Justice Peter Jamadar stated: “This general prohibition against non-discrimination thus prohibits laws that differentiate between people on the basis of their inherent personal characteristics and attributes. Such discrimination undermines the dignity of persons, severely fractures peace and erodes freedom. Courts will not readily allow laws to stand, which have the effect of discriminating on the basis of the stated personal characteristics.” In response to the Court’s decision, the “Trinity Cross” was officially changed to the “Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago” in August 2008.
Inequitable Distribution of Government Funds
The previous PNM government often provided preferential treatment to particular ethnic and religious groups in the distribution of public funds. For example, a Joint Select Committee of Parliament meeting, chaired by Independent Senator Parvatee Anmolsingh-Mahabir, found that the National Social Development Programme (NSDP), a State agency, was responsible for explicit discrimination against Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, and Anglicans, while favoring predominantly Afro-Trinidadian Christian denominations. The Indo-Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) also alleged inequitable treatment in the distribution of land to Hindu religious groups. According to the Indo-Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC), the Tobago House of Assembly allocated land to the Baptist Church in order to build a place of worship and gave $9 million to fund the Gospel Fest, while the Hindu community in Tobago continued to be marginalized.
In addition, millions of taxpayers’ dollars were spent on St Peter’s Baptist Church, the Jesus Elam Ministries, Febeau Open Bible, Revival Time Assembly, Gospelfest, and other small politically affiliated churches, while Hindu celebrations, such as Ramleela, were denied adequate funding.
Similarly, the US State Department’s 2009 report on international religious freedom indicated that: “A Hindu group that organizes the celebration of Phagwa (also known as Holi), a joyous celebration that marks the start of the Hindu New Year, complained about the level of government funding it received. The organization objected to the reduction of state funding from approximately $12,500 (TT$75,000) in 2007, to $10,000 (TT$60,000) in 2008, and finally to $800 (TT$5,000) in 2009. The group returned the 2009 grant in protest.”
Indo-Trinidadians also believed that the allocation of public housing by the National Housing Authority (Home Development Corporation) and the disbursement of compensation following natural disasters, disproportionately benefitted Afro-Trinidadians under the PNM government. For example, $36 million was provided in immediate assistance to flood victims from Port City and Toco, in comparison to south and central farmers (nearly all Hindus), who did not receive any government aid and lost millions in flood damage.
Violations of Constitution and International Law
Constitution of Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad is a democratic state that “acknowledge[s] the supremacy of God [and] faith in fundamental human rights and freedoms.” Chapter 1 of the Constitution recognizes an individual’s right to “equality before the law” and freedom of religion, thought, and expression. It also guarantees the “freedom of the press,” although it does not expand upon what this freedom entails. Furthermore, the Constitution states that Parliament may not “deprive a person of the right to a fair hearing,” nor deprive a person of the right “to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.” Despite these protections, Hindus have experienced attacks on their places of worship, government sanctioned discrimination, and societal abuse until the formation of the new government in 2010 headed by Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
International Human Rights Law
Trinidad and Tobago signed the UN’s International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on June 7, 1967 and ratified it on October 4, 1973. Its accession to the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights took place on December 21, 1978. The Trinidadian government has repeatedly violated these UN Covenants, however, by failing to protect its Hindu and Indian citizens and discriminating against them on ethnic and religious grounds.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Despite constitutional protections ensuring “equality before the law” and freedom of religion, Indians and Hindus have faced systematic discrimination and harassment/abuse. With the change in government in 2010 and an Indian/Hindu heading the new government, the conditions of the Indian/Hindu population is improving. However, it is also incumbent upon the government to guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms for all citizens and enforce civil and criminal laws in a uniform manner. Furthermore, Trinidadian leaders should discourage racial and religious stereotypes and hate speech; recognize Hindus and Indians as equal partners in the rule and governance of the nation; and distance themselves from Christian fundamentalist organizations promoting Christianization of the government and hatred against Hindus and Hinduism.
Reply
TMan
November 1, 2014 at 12:26 am
Another version of history.
A few thousand words from TMan.
I can reply in 10 words:
Reshmi, Lifesport, Firetruck, Ish, Steve, Section 34, Cornelis, Partap, Ramadharsingh, SIS.
That’s why I believe that (contrary to both TMan and Alyssa) that most Indos are tired of their own leaders and their politicking (at least for the moment) and are prepared to sit back while Dr. Rowley, a strong, decisive leader, gets our country back on track.
Reminds me of the saying that a half-truth is a whole lie. This attempt to portray Indos, and more specifically Hindus, as victims of black on brown racism turns the reality on its head.
In the last issue (#123) of Sunshine (http://sunshinett.com), there is an article on p. 11, discussing a 15-point Indo plan, entitled “The Indian Policy”, apparently being anonymously circulated among them. It is a plan for racial domination in T&T. If there is an analogous plan for black domination, I have never seen one. Not even the most ardent Afrocentrist thinks like that.
But we do know as a matter of historical fact that FEM Hosein, of the East Indian National Congress party, stated 87 years ago, in a speech before the Legislative Council, stated that the Indian would come to own Trinidad in the field, the office and the shop. That fixed idea of racial domination was abroad amongst them even then. Moreover, there was not then and is not now, any moral restraint in the ways and means that would be deployed to achieve the goal. That 15-point plan, although written and circulated in such a way as could enjoy “plausible deniability”, nevertheless is of a piece with that statement by that representative of the East Indian National Congress, ethnic forerunner to the present-day United National Congress. It therefore rings true.
Item 1: “Make the country ungovernable”. Panday said as much.
Item 2: “… we must not allow ourselves to be ruled by monkeys. Give them [no] support”. Cf. Indian CNN special on Indian racism in the context of cricketer Harbhajan Singh and his “monkey” remark to the Afro-Australian cricketer.
Item 3: “Hire niggas only if you have to, make them your slaves …”.
Item 4: “Teach our people how to tip the scales…”
Item 5: “Our doctors must look out for each other and the interns. Assist our interns in their [exams]. Remember exams are not important, but certification is. We must continue the practice of tubal ligation on niggas after the birth to their monkeys, and put little effort into neonatal care, keep them in the minority”. Sick stuff indeed, but regrettably rings true. The medical statistics might show the effects of such racially differential, anti-Afro treatment.
Item 6: “Education is the key to success, so our teachers must focus their attention on our children and forget the rest. Get involved in correcting examination papers because you can make a difference there. Our SEA papers correcting groups are very strong and have been working quite well, we must keep this up in order to maintain top placement and scholarships. Remember to keep UWI under close watch.”
This rings true. There simply is no way that the Indo should so completely dominate the SEA placings year after year on merit alone. They simply are not that smart, despite being, as Holy Writ advises, “the glory of their person”.
…
Item 8. “Our vendors must prepare food in batches, one batch for us (clean) and another batch for the niggas (make them eat faeces), it is easy to manipulate what they eat because they love our food, especially roti and doubles.”
etc.
We have a task ahead of us. I believe PM Rowley has the intestinal and testicular fortitude to do what must be done, without compromising his oath of office. At the same time, he and we must never confuse righteousness and weakness. In no way is it doing the right thing, in the face of such monstrous evil, to look the other way. God does not reward punks and punkishness. Likewise, after the banditry of the last five years, it cannot be that there not be a robust investigation of wrong-doing. Heads must roll, and be seen to roll, indeed not only for the wrong-doing of the last five years, but going back also at least 10. PNM bandits must pay just as surely as UNC bandits. Let the law, unfettered by the political directorate and with its support, take its course. If the PM does not do that, he will be out of office after five years; if does do it, he may remain PM for at least 10. He will have the support of the Most High if he sticks fearlessly to his oath of office. No one in the country is better qualified by brains and bravery to do what is right and necessary.
“And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. And Yahweh sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria…” (2 Chronicles 32:20-22)
The precept here is clear. The king must put his trust in the Most High. The fervent prayers of king Hezekiah, together with just one prophet, was all that was necessary.
May the Most High expose the wicked, and protect the innocent in all these matters. May He turn back the wickedness that is abroad in this land, perpetrated by the spawns of the devil that are among us.
Shalom.
Yeshua speaking to certain Edomite Jews:
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
Let me add…
If I were the PM, I would draw that 15-point “Indian Policy” to the attention of the nation, and demand that the Maha Sabha and the UNC, both, repudiate all of its articles.
Then, I would remind the country that there are laws in this country against sedition. Under the PM’s oath, he must see his first duty as securing the state. If the state is allowed to be rendered ungovernable, then the PM is failing in his first duty. That is not a racial matter. That is a race, colour, and class-blind duty of rulership. If there is no order, there is and can be no peace and tranquility. Therefore, having demanded the repudiation of this 15-point “Indian” plan, by the Indo leadership of this society, and whether or not they give such repudiation, the PM must then put them on public notice that sedition, from whatever quarter, will simply not be tolerated, and those behind it will feel the full brunt of the law under a righteous PNM rulership committed under oath to do right by all manner of people without fear and without favour.
They cannot challenge with impunity the whole state. They cannot agitate as a disloyal sectarian minority within the state, and be allowed to get away with it.
Yes, the hand of peace must always remain extended to them, that is what righteousness — also the oath of office — demands. But it is political correctness taken to the point of cravenness in the face of evil, to simply allow this sectarian disloyalty to remain unchallenged. God will not allow it, if we cry out to Him in prayer, but He will require that we take a brave and principled stand. For my part, I have already cried out. (In private. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6)).
Note carefully: there must be no death squads, no Tontons Macoute, no Mongoose gangs. Righteousness does not need to hide, nor to do dirty deeds in the dark, in the face of threats to the state. God doesn’t like that, and so that is definitely not the way. Let this cancer be surgically removed, in the full glare of the national and international public. Yes it will take brains, belly, and a large dose of moral indignation and strength. But God will support it, and an indignant public, across the racial divides, I am sure likewise.
May God cleanse this nation of this monstrous evil abroad in the land, and may He give our PM the wisdom, the resolve, and whatever else may be needed, to solve this problem once and for all.
Shalom.
“Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” (Daniel 4:27)
I have read the Sunshine article in which the odious 15-point plan was revealed by Mr. Warner. Of course, considering the author of the article and the publication, it would be easy for the Opposition and Hindu leaders to denounce the allegations contained within the story as a race-baiting hoax. For me, Mr. Warner’s current legal troubles do not necessarily invalidate everything he writes, but the political reality of the magnitude of the charges facing him makes it difficult for people to not view what he writes with serious “cut-eye.”
With that said the actions of People’s Partnership circa 2010-2015 and the UNC government of mid-1990s provide more than enough evidence in support of the seriousness of the charges. In fact, as a fourth form student, there was talk of my Chemistry teacher boasting in the staff room that “It’s we time now”! And of course the summary dismissals of Afro-Trinbagonian heads of state boards occurred without apology or any sense of shame.
The problem as I see it, is that there may very well have been many “bright” individuals in the UNC administration of 1995 and the People’s Partnership administration of 2010; however, both of these parties lacked the wisdom to administer the affairs of Trinidad and Tobago in an equitable manner and were definitely motivated by sectarian and tribal priorities as opposed to the interest of the entire nation.
To put a twist on a popular Old Testament verse, in all of its “getting” (i.e. attaining the proper credentials, technical competencies, etc.), the UNC and People’s Partnership governments did not obtain understanding (i.e. appreciation of the holistic political, economic, and sociological picture in T&T).
The People’s Partnership, like Mr. Manning’s PNM failed to heed the lessons of history and engaged in the same folly with regards to governance in T&T. Of course, the nature of the shortcomings were different (Mr. Manning was prone to arrogance and delusions of grandeur while the Partnership only appeared to look after its own people), the failure to learn from past mistakes was the same.
If the Partnership fails to learn the lessons of history it will be doomed to repeat it over and over again.
Unless, the interests of the entire country is not its entire concern….Perhaps.
Yoruba check out the newspaper article “The Dougla Dilemma” and “The Story Of The Dhantaal” to get a goimpse inti the caste mind and its perverse warped reasoning
“That 15-point plan, although written and circulated in such a way as could enjoy “plausible deniability”
I am glad you added the above statement.It is a disgusting statement.
I mean it is a disgusting plan.(clarification of my reference above)
Is it disgusting because of its content or because africans are now privy to it?
This is exactly what I posted about. Tman had copies that from the Hindu American Foundation (political organization and affiliate of the Maha Sabha) they have similar postings about Fiji, Uganda etc….any country where hinds are and not in complete brahninical control of the society’s RESOURCES….Hindus are ‘discriminated against’ it is important to understand that their concept poor right and wrong is very different from Christian/Islamic concepts of right and wrong…and whether they like it or not Trinidad and the entire Caribbean has a Christian culture and way of morality (in general) from their perspective…any reality that challenges the notion that they are genetically superior (more intelligent and clean as opposed to dirty
dark skin and dumb Africans) is hurtful and disrespectful to them.
Tman copied that report verbatim from The Hindu American Foundation website….the president of that foundation coincidentally I guess came to an Indian forum at the H.U.W.I. (deyas were lining the stage for graduation) within a month of kamlie getting into office) that report coincidentally again I guess came out in 2011 with the state of emergency…
BHOE takes your bilge to the Calcutta Ship and go your way nah. I am a mixed person and compared to your group we are the most marginalized in T&T but we do not complain like you and yours who have exploited us for years for you know well how to eat a food here. BHoe how much you made off UWI and CLICO while you preach this hate shit that is filled of half truths.
Tman, I would like you to watch, listen and learn from Pope Francis especially of his visit to USA happening now to know and understand and accept what the good Lord Jesus Christ is doing through Pope Francis for ALL OF US not just a pint size Hundu population who are just plain SELFIES (who thinks it is all about them). We were created by one God who came into this world and took on a life as ordinary as a poor person, lived and died among the poor, crucified in the most horrible way. He said on His death door nailed to a cross in the most painful way compared to any other human being in our entire history “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Yes he died for our sins and atoned for them at that. All He ask of us is to pick up our much smaller cross than His and carry it to honour Him. Hence I put up with your shit and many others like you. For he also said among many other important things …” Vengeance is mine”. So Mr Tman you can go ahead and twist the truth without revealing the other side of the story ALL YOU WANT, you will get your readership and con a few but as my Lord said ” I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE ” and I believe that as with the other billions of Catholics in the world, He is the one true God. Nevertheless, your religion is all about dividing and ruling so I wish you all the luck as you will need plenty of that.
The 15-point plan is an obvious troll, but it’s still part of the recent toxic exchange of racial nastiness.
The 15-point “policy” is no troll.
Yes, it is an anonymous document. Its author obviously wishes to preserve a fig-leaf of plausible deniability. But in truth it is clear who the author must be.
As always in matters of this kind, we must ask: cui bono (who benefits)? Psychologically, materially, politically, and as a combination of all the above, it is and can only be the Brahminists as a class, or some subset thereof, in particular its political arm, the UNC.
The alternative of a PNM dirty-tricks group seeking political gain by demonizing the Brahminists is too far a stretch. It simply is not psychologically their style. The typical PNM-ite is known rather more for gullibility than guile. In any case, the UNC-ites in their post-election outpouring of bitterness and hate have been so busily scoring own-goals rendering the UNC and its supporters forever repugnant in the sight of the larger electorate, the PNM would have no reason for interfering. Never interrupt the enemy when they are busily making mistakes, is an obvious axiom of war. In any case, the reflexive attitude of the PNM in the face of Indo racism has always been to pretend it does not exist: “why can’t we all just get along!?” is the cry. The posture is defensive, not proactive, for the Indo-racist knows well to camouflage his own racism by “do dem fuss” accusations of racism directed against the Afro. So all in all, though the PNM wishes that Indo racism would go away, its posture is not such as would include putting out a 15-point “Indian Policy”, intending it could then be used, two or three moves away in the chess game, as a club to defeat their political opponents.
Therefore, I conclude that “The Indian Policy” has an Indo authorship. Certainly its articles are quite in consonance with the Indo racism we have come to know in this land, which has clear roots going back to Brahminist caste oppression that was established about 2,000 years ago in India, and has lasted that long without effective challenge.
So cui bono? The UNC would be the obvious political beneficiary. The first article, “make the country ungovernable”, would have the calculated effect of undermining the PNM government. That is established UNC policy. Panday tried it. And Moonilal has been quoted in the newspapers a few days ago as saying something to the effect that the aim of the 18 “warriors” in Opposition is to not allow the PNM government to serve out its term.
The aim of the Policy is also to shore up the Indo tribal base of the presumptive author, the UNC, appealing to the acknowledged racist prejudices of the Indo to do so. The language used, such as “make the niggas your slaves”, “they are your inferiors”, etc., seems calculated to stir up that racist animus.
And finally, its aim is to secure and strengthen Indo command of the choke points of the society — money, banking, education, health, population, agriculure — while, by means fair and foul, denying access to the non-Indo. This too will obviously redound to the political benefit of the presumptive author, the UNC, or some caucus within it.
Obviously, such an evil — also seditious, and therefore illegal — policy will not come signed with the imprimatur of the organisation putting it out. Plausible deniability will be sought to be maintained, hence the anonymous way it has been produced and circulated. But apply the cui-bono test to it, and the fingerprints of the UNC upon it will be hard to dismiss, and at the very least, the fingerprints of those of the natural constituency of the UNC.
That is why, if I were the PM, I would require the UNC to repudiate the document and also the Maha Sabha. If the authors are mere errant supporters of either or both, let the leadership of these organizations repudiate and condemn them for what the “The Indian Policy” proposes. If they fail to repudiate and condemn the document and its authors, then appropriate inference may be drawn.
If they do do so, then they should have no objection in cooperating with the police to identify the movers of sedition that are behind it.
In either case, the PM is duty bound under his oath of office to identify the full extent of this cancer upon the body politic, and to cut it out. Failure to act to remove this obvious ongoing threat to the Republic would be a gross dereliction of duty.
It is obviously an ongoing threat to the Republic of some standing. Item 6 lets us know that the school placements under the SEA have been tampered with and for some time, to the benefit of Indo pupils. This will help to explain why the vast majority of those locked up during the 2011 state of emergency were Afro youth. If, due to this evil sectarian policy of Indo group domination, Indo teachers are told to help their own and ignore the rest, then this would obviously have contributed to the alienation and even self-hate of the Afro youth in our community. Even the best and brightest would have been kept out of the educational opportunities which their ability should otherwise have afforded them. And if now 95% (say), — I don’t know the exact figures –, of entrants to the UWI medical, engineering and law faculties, are Indo, it is clear that cheating in Common Entrance and SEA these past two or three decades, could be attributed to that. The idea that this is the result of merit is simply ludicrous. As I have said before on this blog, the Indo is not that smart, neither is the Afro that stupid. In any case, such an imbalance has obvious long-term implications. First is the discouragement of Afro youth from pursuing fields of study that their talent would otherwise permit. Second, is the identification of Afro youth as being the face of crime, to the extent that the invidious “Indian Policy” closed off upwardly mobile opportunity to Afro youth, and fueled alienation and rage, however inchoate. The “Indian Policy” is a declared state of an ongoing war against the Afro community in particular, the non-Indo in general. The ills of the society stemming from Afro failure in education are there for all to see. Any long-term strategic plan to correct the plight of Afro youth must address this Indo conspiracy. The long-term fight against crime must center around fair education policy, and item 6 of the “Indian Policy” must be gutted, exposed, and terminated.
Be clear, item 6 is historical fact, and of long-standing. It is indeed a confession: “Our SEA papers correcting groups are very strong and have been working quite well, we must keep this up in order to maintain top placement and scholarships. Remember to keep UWI under close watch.” (emphasis of tense added) This has obviously been going on a long time, and constitutes a monstrous crime.
The PM is duty bound under his oath of office to root out the wrong doers, and to make such changes as would preclude the problem from ever recurring. Moreover, justice would require that there be reparatory fines imposed on some suitable basis, and possibly some sort of affirmative action imposed to right the wrong as best as possible. Non-Indo youth who have been wronged must be afforded suitable reparatory opportunity. Indo teachers and principals who have wronged non-Indo students must be disciplined in some appropriate fashion to the full extent that criminal and/or civil law might permit.
What is certain is that the Republic has been under assault from within for a long time. The duty now of all patriots is to save the Republic. Yes, it is a difficult task. Let the craven and the cowardly step back. But may it be so that Dr. The Honourable Keith Christopher Rowley, who has the necessary brains, belly and backbone step forward and do his clear duty, that by some combination of fate and fortuity has been thrust upon him. C;early this was far from being upon his agenda coming into office. But be that as it may, duty is what it is, and the first duty of the PM is to secure the long-term peace and tranquility of the state.
May the Most High expose the wicked in this matter, and protect and uphold those who must step forward in truth and righteousness, and without fear or favour, to save and protect the Republic.
Shalom.
“And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. And Yahweh sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side. And many brought gifts unto Yahweh to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.” (2 Chronicles 32:20-23)
One clap from yoruba and there is thunder!I would like to make a request of you similarly as would the fan of a DJ…you speak with authority, depth and clarity on any topic you address.Although i, like most lovers of truth and illumination enjoy your articles i formally request more not all but more secular angles like this one. Exquisite!
Alyssa:
Thank you for that kind remark, but all praise is due to the Most High. HalleluYAH!
I go as the Spirit moves. Yeshua promised us, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). That truth derives from Holy Writ, but it is playing out in a secular world. So there really is no separation.
The thing is to apply Holy Writ truly and correctly to what we see happening around us. That is a gift given obviously only to those who take the time to *study* the Word, and even then to do it is a spirit of humility, actively seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
But it is a study that is well worth the while. I am the beneficiary of a million-dollar education paid for under the writ of Eric Williams, for which I honour his memory. But the study of Holy writ is a billion-dollar education, paid for by the Holy Spirit.
On the subject at hand, we shall see what we shall see. But the time is near at hand for the “Negro” in this land. In Scriptural terms we are in reality Israelites, of the tribe of Benjamin, literally from an original home in Jerusalem (Jerusalem is situated in the land of Benjamin). That is part of the truth, knowledge of which shall make us free.
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
As a people here in T&T, we have been too fearful in treating with the Edomite Indo. God does not like the fearful, nor the craven and the cowardly. In the face of that nonsense called “The Indian Policy”, we let it go at our own peril. As Bob Marley sang, we have to “get up, stand up” or we will go down like punks in the sight of God.
Here is part of what is prophesied, bearing in mind that the Brahminist Indo is a branch of Esau aka Edom, and that the southern kingdom of Judah includes the tribes of Judah (American “Negro”) and Benjamin (West Indian “Negro”):
“And thy mighty men, O Teman (Cf. Tman), shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. For the day of Yahweh is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” (Obadiah 9-15)
The Indo that does not “come out of her my people”, and repent of the sins of Edom against Israel, will have his part in the lake of fire with their father the devil. It is as simple as that.
Exactly the same applies to the Afro (i.e. Israelite) who stays craven within Babylon system even as it causes our youth to cry out and act out in undesirable, indeed criminal, ways.
The time is near at hand. We all have to choose between life with the Father, and death with the Wicked One in the lake of fire. It is as simple as that.
May Yeshua lose none of those that were entrusted to Him from the foundation of the world, and may we all of us return unto the Rock from whence we are digged.
Shalom.
P.S. Btw, your own fire is of a piece with your name, which breaks down phonetically as Elisha. This was the name of a major prophet. Its meaning is: salvation is of the Most High. Your billion-dollar education awaits.
The word ‘secular’ was stronger that i wanted, but the closest to my intention. I didn’t mean not to speak the word and its dprelation to everyday issues, rather, I meant delving directly into the belly of the ethnic and political issues as opposed to indirectly via the word. I.e. alot of ‘africans’ are literally, willfully ignorant of these issues and are sometimes willing (albeit briefly) to understand, but when confronted with towering leagues of solid info…the “playstation effect” takes over (no attention span) i.e. in between… clout dem grassroots supporters of the pnm over their heads. However, i respect and acknowledge that you must have your reasons and own plan.
Throw a bone if you can…
TMAN makes Joseph Goebbels look like an amateur. What you see in his verbatim presentation, is the Hindutava replica of Goebbels propaganda against European Jews as a prelude to justifying any actions taken against them.
The opening paragraph that went, In 2010, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who is of Indian and Hindu descent, became Trinidad and Tobago’s first female Prime Minister. She heads the People’s Partnership (PP), a five-party coalition that came to power in May 2010 after defeating Patrick Manning and the People’s National Movement (PNM). In the 2010 elections, the People’s Partnership won 29 seats and the PNM 12. During the PNM regime Trinidad and Tobago experienced high rates of crime and public corruption, captures the intent, the purpose, the rational and the target.
Over the years, I have devoted my time and contributions to dissecting the propaganda of TMAN and Mamoo. They represent the post 70s right wing strategy of portraying themselves as victims of racism. We Africans allowed ourselves to be guilt tripped into silence by these narratives from people who come from a thousand years old history of cultural and religious beliefs steeped in racial discrimination and the stratification of humans based on their color and hair texture. We concentrate too much on positioning anti black racism at the feet of white people when right within our midst exist a blend of racism that is as odious as anything we have experienced as a people.
Here is a little piece of unsung history. In the period leading up to emancipation the slave the British slave holders and colonial administrators had already begun to consider who they bring to replace Africans on the plantation. They had no intention of compensating Africans with fair wages for the work they ould be required to do, but also feared the new social environment with an African majority that were no longer under the physical and psychological control.
For the British, the most important aspect in the selecting of who to bring to replace Africans on the plantations, was to ensure that whoever was brought would have a similar view of Africans, of black people, as they had. They did not wish to have any group joining with Africans to seize control of the territories. So they had to select group that would be more likely to join with them, than to join with black people. What the sought, was a commonality of shared anti-black hatred, and only in one group in this world could they find such people.
So when you read this missive posted by TMAN, and use it to get into the mind of the person who posted it, what you see is what the British saw. It is that mind set that they envisioned in selecting who they would bring as indentured servants. Believe me, it will never change. It is locked in. It would be easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle, than to get the TMAN and his ilk to shed the thousand year cultural and religious baggage upon which their racist views are founded.
SO this idiot is Bhoe Tewarie – you hide to spread your filth eh.
I challenge anyone to refute the statistics or facts reported in this post.
The numbers and figures were not pulled out of a hat . They are on record.
Alyssa:
Re direct vs indirect secular contribution…
One way or another we all have to teach each other. We certainly have much to learn from each other. I’m glad for all the regular contributors to this blogs, all of whom with their contributions have made the blog as good as it is. (Nod of appreciation to the anonymous Moderator also; whatever he is doing it seems to be working well.) But we all can only contribute what we know, or what the Holy Spirit allows. So I do my best.
I take note of what you suggest, but I suspect I may be too much of an old dog already to learn new tricks. It’s a little bit like our steelband arrangers; each one has his/her distinctive style, and even if they tried to change it, I suspect it’s an impossible task, as the “muse” will come through regardless… sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
I look forward to your contributions. I hope you will remain a regular. Speaking of which I wonder what happened to Linda Edwards, Karibkween and some other old regulars who just for some reason disappeared. And it looks like Neal has again gone AWOL…
Shalom.