Fuad: ‘It’s not political’

UNITED National Congress (UNC) Barataria/San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan has been posting videos of himself wearing sunglasses, dreadlocks and a rasta cap on Facebook for some time now. In each of these videos, Khan in the role of “Ras Ji” makes comments about different issues. In his latest video post yesterday, Khan claimed that trade union leaders are promoting themselves and not the workers.

Asked why he is posting these videos, Khan said, “The message is listened to in humour. Hence it sticks. This is not seen as an overt politician.” He added, “It is an alter-ego who can say what people feel and are afraid to say.” In his own Labour Day message, Khan said, “We should spare a moment of solidarity for those who may no longer be eligible due to the massive layoffs we have witnessed over the past three years.”

He predicted,” This 2018 edition of Labor Day may in fact be one of the smallest in terms of attendance due in no small part to the failure of the unions to protect their members from the injustices of the current government.” Khan claimed the People’s National Movement (PNM) was prepared to hand jobs to foreign corporations. He also claimed many citizens are turning to crime as a source of income. According to Khan, “When you consider how many citizens are now turning to crime as a source of income, it is completely baffling that the government cannot see that it stems from the confiscation of these legitimate jobs from local labour.”

Khan’s videos are also posted by a political group called Citizens for a Brighter Tomorrow. The group is described as,”individuals who seek to represent the nation in the interest of democracy from those who seek to pervert it.”

The only member of this group is UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj. He undertook a short-lived hunger strike in support of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension project in 2014, under the then People’s Partnership government. Then trade minister Vasant Bharath called on Maharaj to end his hunger strike.

Maharaj is listed as Khan’s constituency communications specialist.