\nThursday, March 1 2007<\/i><\/p>\n
![\"What](\"http:\/\/www.trinidadandtobagonews.com\/blogimg\/whatthe.jpg\")
OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) Senator Harry Mungalsingh stoutly defended statements he made to the Upper House on Tuesday that abortion and cash-incentive sterilisation could be measures used in the fight against crime.<\/p>\n
Senator Mungalsingh stood alone yesterday as two senior UNC members \u2014 leader of Opposition business in the Senate and deputy Political Leader Wade Mark and Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma \u2014 both distanced the party from Mungalsingh’s statements.
\n
\n“That’s not a party position. That is a personal Mungalsingh view,” Mark pointedly stated. <\/p>\n
Asked whether Mungalsingh’s statement reflected poorly on the UNC, Mark replied, “As the leader of Opposition business in the Senate and the deputy Political Leader of the UNC party, I am telling you that Senator Mungalsingh’s view is not the view of the party.” <\/p>\n
Sharma commented, “No one should panic. Everyone makes errors and some have their foolish moments and it may be a combination of both. It is not a party position. <\/p>\n
However as a Senator, you are supposed to carry the party’s view, but this was not the case. He must be forgiven.” <\/p>\n
Speaking to Newsday on his statement, Mungalsingh said he did not intend to say that abortion or sterilisation would by itself stop crime, but would be one component of a “comprehensive plan.” “I was speaking of the sociological factors. In the 16 specific communities I talked about, there are a number of solutions. I talked about access to land, education and opportunities,” Mungalsingh said. <\/p>\n
Asked what communities he was referring to in his statement, he replied, “I was referring to what Government Ministers referred to as \u2018hot spots’ of violent crime.” <\/p>\n
Told that several interpretations of the statement could imply ethnic bias, Mungalsingh said that within his address he highlighted the need for politicians to ensure that ethnic groups within the nation were not divided. <\/p>\n
“Politicians must not put a split in the ethnic communities. If I did say anything, it was that these communities appear to be PNM controlled,” Mungalsingh said. <\/p>\n
“I am in close touch with the Muslim community and I know for a fact that they have no difficulty with what I have said. I fundamentally believe in a woman’s right to choose.” <\/p>\n
Mungalsingh’s controversial statements were made in the Senate on Tuesday during Ramesh Deosaran’s private members motion calling on Government to explain how they are tackling crime. <\/p>\n
Mungalsingh told the Senate that “83 percent of the prison population comes from specific communities, which predicates the need for a strong and distinct national development plan.” <\/p>\n
He then said, “Such a plan must include the churches, a change in abortion laws, strong family planning services with cash incentives for voluntary sterilisation.” The statement sparked instant uproar with Local Government minister Rennie Dumas blaring, “Genocide! Genocide on the UNC platform!” <\/p>\n
This is not the first time the UNC Senator has raised eyebrows. When he was sworn in as a UNC Senator, Mungalsingh prompted heavy picong from the Government benches when he had the chair he sits on in the Upper House, “blessed.” <\/p>\n
Reprinted from: Religious heads condemn Mungalsingh<\/a> Mungalsingh stands alone By Mark Lawrence, newsday.co.tt Thursday, March 1 2007 OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) Senator Harry Mungalsingh stoutly defended statements he made to the Upper House on Tuesday that abortion and cash-incentive sterilisation could be measures used in the fight against crime. Senator Mungalsingh stood alone yesterday as two senior UNC members \u2014 … Continue reading Abortion and Cash-Incentive Sterilisation to Fight Against Crime?<\/span>
\nwww.newsday.co.tt\/news\/0,53098.html<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n
\nSEVERAL RELIGIOUS leaders have reacted strongly against statements made by Opposition UNC Senator Harry Mungalsingh which recommended a \u201cchange in abortion laws\u201d and \u201ccash incentives for voluntary sterilisation\u201d in \u201cspecific communities\u201d a as means of tackling the crime issue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"