[UPDATED] Shamfa: 'Shut up about Tobago'

“Shut up, Sat.” This was the advice from Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe to Maha Sabha secretary general Sat Maharaj in response to his statements Tuesday on Tobago people being too lazy.

Sat said during a TV broadcast, “Nothing going correct in Tobago; they’re lazy. Six out of ten of them working for the Tobago House of Assembly, getting money from Port of Spain. They don’t want to work, they go to work for after 9 and then go for breakfast.”

Speaking to Newsday during a sod-turning ceremony for a new Bethel Credit Union building, Cudjoe, who is also Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, described his comments as unfortunate.
“We have to recognise Sat for who he is. This is clearly a racist comment and I think the agenda is a racist and destructive one.

"I know that Tobagonians know better and we are a better people than what was described there.”

Praising the way the people of TT "thrive on being together with a mixture with many creeds and races," she said his comments were unfortunate.

"I think it is diversity that makes us strong and it is unfortunate that people would try to use divisive and destructible strategies for political expediency, for personal expediency or simply to be dumb and stupid. It is dumb, it is illiterate, and it doesn’t contribute to nation-building at all.
"I trust that the young people in TT know better and Sat is nobody to follow or look up to. It is a sad day, because there are so many challenges and concerns we need to pay attention to. Racism is one and I think racism is alive.”

She asked Tobagonians to continue to hold their heads high, continue to thrive and not be discouraged by these comments.

Also speaking on the issue during the sod-turning, Kwesi Des Vignes, Tobago PNM Council PRO and Secretary for the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment, condemned the comments.

“We have to be careful we are not painted with that broad brush that religious leader attempted to paint us with, that we are nothing more than lazy, that we are nothing more than unproductive, that we are not good for our own selves. I want to rebuke and reject that statement. I want all Tobagonians to rise in chorus and say, 'That is not who we are.'”

President of the Tobago Hindu Society Pulwaty Beepath distanced the Tobago Hindu community from the comments. Speaking to Newsday on Tuesday morning, Beepath said the Hindu community has always lived in unity in Tobago. She believes Sat is trying to divide the island and is also calling on all Tobagonians to stand together.

“I am defending all the Hindus in Tobago. We are not affiliated with Sat Maharaj and his comments. He made his comments on behalf of him. He is a racial man, he is just fighting down all the Hindu communities around the country. As president of the Tobago society, we disassociate ourselves with him.”

Charles: Use criticism as motivation

Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles also condemned Sat's statements which he termed "over-generalising and showing a palpable lack of understanding and appreciation of the history of the two islands."

He also hinted the remarks could incite racial tension.

"We have all seen what severe circumstances of racial disharmony and disunity have bred in places such as Rwanda and South Africa. We must ask ourselves, is that what we want for Trinidad and Tobago?” he said.

Charles reminded Sat that THA employees pay taxes too and local businesses help the economy by purchasing goods from Trinidad.

He called on Tobagonians to rise above the unfair criticism and continue striving for betterment.
He said, "I want Tobagonians to use every negativity thrown at them to build themselves up and become better and greater citizens. Tobagonians ought not to become distracted or derailed. We have a history of being strong, proud, hard-workers and that’s the heritage we must endeavour to reclaim. Let us be our brother’s keeper and hold each other accountable to being the best employees we can be, the best parents we can be, the best students we can be, the best entrepreneurs we can be.”

This story was originally published with the title "Shamfa to Sat: 'Shut up about Tobago'" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

“Shut up, Sat.” This was the advice from Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe to Maha Sabha secretary general Sat Maharaj in response to his statements yesterday on Tobago people being too lazy.

Maharaj said during a TV broadcast, “Nothing going correct in Tobago; they’re lazy. Six out of ten of them working for the Tobago House of Assembly, getting money from Port of Spain. They don’t want to work, they go to work for after 9 and the go for breakfast.”

Speaking to Newsday during a sod-turning ceremony for a new Bethel Credit Union building, Cudjoe, who is also Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, described his comments as unfortunate.

“We have to recognise Sat for who he is. This is clearly a racist comment and I think the agenda is a racist and destructive one.

"I know that Tobagonians know better and we are a better people than what was described there.”

Priasing the way the people of TT "thrive on being together with a mixture with many creeds and races," she said his comments were unfortunate.

"I think it is diversity that makes us strong and it is unfortunate that people would try to use divisive and destructible strategies for political expediency, for personal expediency or simply to be dumb and stupid. It is dumb, it is illiterate, and it doesn’t contribute to nation-building at all.

"I trust that the young people in TT know better and Sat is nobody to follow or look up to. It is a sad day, because there are so many challenges and concerns we need to pay attention to. Racism is one and I think racism is alive.”