Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has challenged Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to apologise to the nation for several racist comments made by members of the People’s National Movement over the years, saying the party was not being honest in its recent comments about using race in campaigning.
As she made her point last night, Persad-Bissessar went back to the 2013 Tobago House of Assembly’s (THA) election, when then deputy Chief Secretary Hilton Sandy told supporters that if they did not vote the PNM back in to power a “Calcutta Ship” was waiting to take over the island, to make her point.
Speaking at a UNC Monday Night Forum at the Gasparillo Secondary School, she also called on PNM youth officer Fitzgerald Hinds to apologise for his “alligator in murky lagoon” comments at a public meeting at Piggott’s Corner, Belmont, recently.
She also recalled that Hinds had ridiculed a young boy with dreadlocks who kissed her hand during a tour in flood damaged Diego Martin in 2013. She claimed Hinds had referred to the boy as an “idiot” for the gesture he made towards her.
She said if Rowley was genuine about not running a racist campaign he should confront all racist remarks coming from members of his party.
“I am calling on the Opposition Leader and Mr Hinds to apologise to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. I call upon them to apologise and to confront the racist campaign they have run and the racist campaign they continue to run,” Persad-Bissessar said.
“While they talk the talk, they must also walk the walk. It is by your deeds you are judged Opposition Leader.
“If you are genuine in your statement you must confront the racist remarks from the front line of your party. I tell you tonight, your silence is deafening.”
She also challenged Rowley to account for his representation of the Diego Martin West constituency, saying it was under the former UNC government that the Carenage Government School was built, while the People’s Partnership had built the Diego Martin Highway, several schools and will soon open the new Carenage Health Centre.
Persad-Bissessar also touched on plans to boost the education, health and agriculture sectors, but stressed that crime was a major issue and that her Government was committed to dealing with.
She reaffirmed her position that there will be no negotiation with criminals and promised to give the police all the resources they need to bring criminals to justice, especially in the Enterprise, Chaguanas community where a recent spate of gang violence has left residents running scared.