‘Government declares unholy war’

RELIGIOUS institutions are under attack by the ruling PNM administration, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar claimed yesterday as she who accused Government of declaring “a holy war” on citizens.

“The Government has declared holy war upon us. But it is really an unholy war that they declared on the citizens of our nation,” Persad-Bissessar said.

She made the comments yesterday at an interfaith service at the Couva South Multi-purpose Hall to celebrate the United National Congress’s 29th anniversary.

“The very moral fabric of our society is under attack from this Government... The glue that binds us together as human beings, is found in our values, our beliefs and our principles,” she told supporters.

Only recently a Hindu priest and devotees of the Shri Nav Durga Kali Ashram in South Oropouche complained that officials from Town and Country Planning Division want to demolish the structure. This Planning Ministry has said they did not have approvals for an additional structure and breached building codes.

On Wednesday, state-owned Petrotrin served a final cease and desist notice to the Church of God of Prophecy to stop operating on Petrotrin’s land citing health, safety and environmental risks. The church is located at Mussarap Trace in Barrackpore near an oil well.

“We have seen the attempts to demolish the mandir down in South Oropouche. Now it has reached the doors of our Christian brothers and sisters where they want to tear done the church in the constituency of Naparima,” Persad-Bissessar said yesterday.

Referring to the arrests of people in light of Carnival threats celebrations earlier this year, Persad-Bissessar said police raided mosques.

“Our masjids are being disrespected. We have seen innocent men, women and children brutalised because they are profiled as terrorists by this Rowley-led administration. He must always remember not every Muslim is a terrorist. He must also remember that not every terrorist is a Muslim,” the Opposition Leader said.

In her tenure as prime minister, she said she spent a considerable amount of time reaching out to faith-based organisations. This is because, she said, she understood and still understands the great role that religious bodies play in lifting the society and country out of poverty and crime.