Kamla must apologise to the First Peoples

THE EDITOR: It is grossly disappointing and a matter of great concern that Kamla Persad-Bissessar chose to have a Divali celebration at her constituency office on a national holiday to celebrate the First Peoples.

When I saw the post on Facebook, I was shocked out of my socks. This does not reflect well on a former Prime Minister and someone who is still seeking such office.

On a one-off public holiday, when the national community unites to celebrate the contributions of the original inhabitants of this land, Persad-Bissessar chose to celebrate Divali instead. This is insulting to the First Peoples community and the wider national public.

Anyone desirous of leading a multi-cultural plural society like TT must show love, respect and appreciation for all legitimate groups in our society. The rest of the country shared greetings, cooked traditional Amerindian food, visited the parades and participated in the First Peoples celebrations all across the country.

“Here every creed and race finds an equal place” are the words so perfectly postulated in our national anthem. If this was a conscious decision, then Persad-Bissessar as the Member of Parliament for Siparia, Opposition Leader and political leader of the UNC is sending a message of disregard for the national day of the First Peoples.

Our melting pot cannot be truly nationalistic if we have leaders promoting self-agendas without fostering the inclusiveness of all the people whom they wish to represent. Such a stance may lead people to believe the political rhetoric that Persad-Bissessar and the UNC is focused on “south of the Caroni bridge.”

Here in TT we have the most holidays in the world. This is because our society is one of a kind and we all celebrate our cultures and beliefs together at Christmas, Divali, Eid, Baptist Liberation Day, Emancipation Day etc.

Should Persad-Bissessar truly wish to seek to be Prime Minister again, it is necessary for her to offer an explanation and an apology for her disregard for the national holiday to celebrate the First Peoples.

RONALD HUGGINS, St Joseph