COP: AG must condemn race-bait video

In this June 26 file photo, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi addresses the sod-turning ceremony for the Lady Hailes Avenue expansion project as part of the San Fernando Waterfront Revedelopment plan. The Congress of the People wants Al-Rawi to condemn a video of a woman making a racist remark in the run-up to the general election. PHOTO BY MARVIN HAMILTON -
In this June 26 file photo, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi addresses the sod-turning ceremony for the Lady Hailes Avenue expansion project as part of the San Fernando Waterfront Revedelopment plan. The Congress of the People wants Al-Rawi to condemn a video of a woman making a racist remark in the run-up to the general election. PHOTO BY MARVIN HAMILTON -

CONGRESS of the People (COP) chairman Lonsdale Williams has said Attorney General (AG) Faris Al-Rawi must condemn a video featuring a woman making a racist remark in the run-up to the August 10 general election which also included piece of an old video of him as a former opposition senator.

“Once again we make a call for all political parties to condemn any race-baiting. It is interesting to note that the COP is the only party to have condemned this video for its sinister motives,” Williams indicated in a statement on Friday.

“Firstly we never indicated that this was the doing of Mr Al-Rawi or any other party. We simply called for an open and unequivocal condemnation of such attempts.”

Williams said Al-Rawi’s claim the COP ignored alleged issues in the PP government does not deal with the fundamental issue raised (that is, race-baiting.)

“Is the Honourable Attorney General saying that racism is not an area of concern? Does he think that there is no relevance to movements such as Black Lives Matter?

“We once again make a clarion call to not only the AG, but all politicians from all political parties to once and for all condemn the attempt to divide us along racial lines.”

Williams on Friday told Newsday, “The Attorney General was in it and should be the first to condemn it because they are using his image.”

Al-Rawi had recently told Newsday that it was “disappointing and desperate” for the COP to try to connect him or the PNM to the video.

Saying the party is running on the basis of performance and accountability, and does not need to resort to such tactics, he had said, “That is not a production of the PNM.” Al-Rawi had said someone featured in a meme was being accused of being responsible for its production. Newsday was unable to contact the AG for his reply to the COP’s latest letter.

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