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Walk the talk, Mr PM

By Israel B Khan, SC, of muslim/ Hindu/ christian stock
Newsday

Congratulations to the leadership of the People’s National Movement for moving away from their naked traditional tribalism and ethnicity to a new order of inclusion.

I see this new order in Prime Minister Manning’s selection of Ministers and Senators. I see it in Mr Patrick Manning’s new attitude towards nationals of East Indian descent. He confessed to the nation that it was the first time under his two terms that he celebrated Divali at the Prime Minister’s residence.

It was heartening to observe (on TV) Mr and Mrs Manning (Christians) lighting the deyas for Divali 2002 at the Prime Minister’s official residence. They looked splendid and regal in their East Indian outfits — Mr Manning in his kurta and Mrs Manning in her beautiful shalwar.

Dr Keith Rowley’s confession that it was the first time in its 16 years of existence that he was visiting the Divali Nagar is a good beginning for him. He made the point at Divali Nagar 2002 that at the end of the day “we are one people”.

I submit that we would be only one people if we are willing to appreciate and understand one another. Dr Rowley received a gift of a kurta and kurti at Divali Nagar 2002. I sincerely hope that he wears these garments at the appropriate functions.

Incidentally (and significantly) at the Prime Minister’s celebration of Divali 2002 the Indian High Commissioner, Dr Virendra Gupta, chose to wear the traditional garb of India’s former colonial masters while Mr Sat Maharaj, General Secretary of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha wore a shirtjack outfit.

Prime Minister Manning in his welcome address to his guests (who included many known supporters of the UNC) stated that “when elections are over, we are not concerned with who supported who, we are concerned about bringing our society together as Trinidad and Tobago — a united country in which we aspire”.

Well, I would like our Prime Minister to know that I voted for Carlos John because I believe, in spite of all the ills of the UNC, that he belonged to a party of inclusion: A party that was really trying to bring the two major tribes together.

It is my considered view that the new approach to nation building by the leadership of the PNM is as a direct result of the political scare Basdeo Panday has inflicted upon them. They have come to the stark realisation that in order to hold on to political power the other tribe must be included. Mr Manning must always remember and never forget that the old PNM refused to allow a Trinbagonian of East Indian descent to be appointed Prime Minister of this country.

Upon the death of Dr Eric Williams, the PNM by-passed the two most senior Cabinet Members — Kamaluddin Mohammed and Errol Mahabir. They were foundation members of the PNM who so happened to be of East Indian descent. Mr Mohammed was also a Deputy Political Leader of the PNM.

Already I have heard whispers among the dispossessed of the PNM tribe: “like UNC win the election or what”. What is wrong with Manning? How all them (“c” word) getting pick so”.

As for myself, with so many thousands of other floating voters, we wait with bated breath to see whether the new dispensation of the new PNM would be based on merit, ability and integrity and not tribe and ethnicity.

A true leader must lead with a clear vision of inclusion and not harken to the ignorant voices of his tribe. Basdeo Panday came tumbling down because there were too many sycophants in the UNC. They were unable to force him onto the right track and he became a runaway horse who went on a frolic of his own.

Congratulations Prime Minister Manning, I support your vision of inclusion and now I await to see if you can persuade your Party and your tribe to support you and your Cabinet to bring to fruition this wonderful vision of inclusion.

Honourable Prime Minister, you can start with the Armed Forced — Police, Regiment and Coast Guard). These units must reflect cosmopolitan Trinidad and Tobago in proportion to the numerical strength of the two major tribes.

Also my brothers and sisters of African descent want to own houses and land just like so many of my brothers and sisters of East Indian descent. They would also like to get into small business ventures like haberdashery and dry goods. Some would like to own and manage hardware stores, motor car parts outlets, restaurants, cloth stores etc. The better off in your tribe would like to form construction companies so that they can tender for building schools, houses and bridges. They are complaining that only the other tribe is involved in that venture. And what about companies which pave roads and highways? They want to get into that too.

Honourable Prime Minister, your tribe and the other tribe really do not like handouts. They are fed-up eating the scraps from massa’s table. Many of the lawyers, including myself, would like to get some of the bank wuk too, Mr Prime Minister. And I want to publicly state that I support your government’s stance of removing East Indian’s navel strings from the cane fields of Caroni. My forefathers slaved in those fields and I think it is morally wrong in this 21st Century to tie up another generation of East Indians in the sugar cane fields. At the same time you must remove our other brothers and sisters dependency on the “ten-day syndrome”.

But to do that the country must come into a bigger and better boom than the one we experienced when money ran through this country like a dose of salts, or in the alternative, you must tackle the safe financial haven of the parasitic oligarchy — both internal and external (smile LNG).

And Honourable Prime Minister, I respectfully crave your indulgence to humbly give you and your members of Parliament a piece of gratuitous advice: It would cost you nothing — politically or psychologically. If you really believe in inclusion and not exclusion, then the PNM’s symbol of the balisier should not be worn on national occasions and at non-party events. Break tradition with the old PNM and really demonstrate to the country at large that once General Election is over, you are not too concerned with being a PNM Prime Minister rather you are concerned about bringing the society together as Trinidad and Tobago — a united country to which we all aspire.

In this regard you would recall my letter to you on the issue of the balisier tie and/or emblem. I am of the view that the time is right for the public to view this letter and it is my intention to publish it. It would assist in the debate on the issue of whether a Minister should wear a party symbol while performing the duties of a Minister of Government on behalf of all the citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

God bless our nation, where every creed and race should find an equal place.

Justice For All.

Trinidad and Tobago News

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