The great Oreo battle

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s characterisation on Monday of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley as being an “Oreo”, was condemned as racist by the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) in several statements yesterday.

However, a United National Congress (UNC) group has accused the PNM of trying to create an uproar so as to distract the national community away from pressing national concerns such as violence against women and the Petrotrin refinery closure.

Black Agenda director David Muhammed also weighed in by saying the “Oreo” comment may be inappropriate but is not racist and is actually an allegation that a person was not black enough. The PNM’s Arouca/Maloney Constituency hit Persad-Bissessar’s remarks as “racist, vile and disgusting” and showed her “sinking to the lowest of her lows.”

“It is a highly derogatory and offensive term used to refer to someone of African descent as being ‘black on the outside, white on the inside,’ including persons who speak proper English, attain high academic achievement and having a diverse group of associates.

“The implications of the use of such a term by Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, a former Prime Minister herself, are deeply troubling and speaks to someone with a mind-set who only sees and judges people by the colour of their skin and ethnic background rather than the content of their character.”

MUST BE CONDEMNED

The PNM group said her words must be condemned by all right-thinking citizens and the Opposition Leader, by her words and perilous stewardship of the country’s affairs, had shown her unsuitability for any position of public trust.

“We call upon Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar to apologise unreservedly to the Honourable PM, all persons of African descent and the country by extension for her latest racist rant and we call on her to exercise some sober judgement by resisting the urge to divide the country along racial lines.”

The statement said political desperation is no excuse to act irresponsibly by uttering such divisive and polarizing words.

Recalling Persad-Bissessar’s attendance at the Independence celebration wearing national colours, the PNM urged her and her party to live by the words of the national anthem “Here every creed and race, find an equal place.”

The Ministry of Communications hit Persad-Bissessar’s remarks as “despicable and nakedly racist.” It said, “Whilst this Government has been guiding and leading the country in a stable, inclusive and productive way, through a number of difficult and demanding situations, including, the financial contagion effects created by Petrotrin, Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the United National Congress (UNC) have once again attempted to destabilize the country by consciously and intentionally utilizing race to divide and destroy TT.”

The ministry said the Government will not condone the use of race or class to attack any citizen, and rejected attempts to stir up racial tension in the country.

MINISTRY A PNM

PARTY GROUP?

One Opposition activist, in a Facebook comment, asked, “Is the Ministry of Communications a PNM party group now?”

The UNC National Women’s Arm expressed its “displeasure and disappointment” at what it called the PNM’s desperate attempt to distract from issues plaguing the country by creating an outcry over the use of the word “Oreo.”

The group said the PNM had failed to acknowledge an upsurge in domestic violence, women going missing daily and the upcoming refinery shutdown, which will have a ripple effect nationwide of joblessness, domestic violence, suicide and depression.

“The UNC National Women’s Arm will not allow these issues to be swept under the carpet.” It urged the PNM Women’s League and the Government to address the refinery shutdown, the ferry fiasco, the increase in crimes against women and the displacement of families at the Curepe Interchange. “As we await the budget... we once more call on those in authority to place the people first and do not engage in distractions and deflections to conceal the incompetence of this PNM Government.”

FB WEIGHS IN

The Oreo issue lit up Facebook yesterday. Steven Cadiz, former trade minister in the Persad-Bissessar administration, said, “What in God’s name got into the LOTO (Leader of the Opposition)? The ‘Oreo’ statement was downright racist like the ‘Calcutta Ship.’.Two wrongs simply do not make it right!”

Arima Mayor in the former government Ghassan “Gus” Youseph hit, “When she links ‘Oreo’ with the stupid destructive talk of the so-called one per cent her statement (is) not only racist but a statement of hate. She is speaking Roget language. Maybe she is making overtures there at the expense of the welfare of the country.”

However, former attorney general Garvin Nicholas was unfazed, saying there is a difference between a racist comment and a derogatory comment.

“Being described as an Oreo is derogatory. It’s a derogatory description of behaviour. It’s not an attack on his ethnicity. It is important that we understand the difference. “It is not to say that it is appropriate. I have always found the term to be stupid.”